The standards were developed by the National PTA in collaboration with parent involvement researchers and other national leaders. The standards clearly delineate those practices that have been shown to lead to success and high-quality parent involvement programs. Developing genuine collaboration is critical. The views of all stakeholders should be considered and valued, and no one group should control the outcomes. Establishing trust and a true partnership will take time, but the extra effort is well worth the lasting benefits that can be gained.
Meaningful change requires thoughtful, incremental steps.
Laying a solid foundation can make all the difference in the final outcomes and success of your programs. When parents, educators, and community leaders make parent involvement a mutual goal, they can begin to work together as a team to create an action plan for reaching and maintaining the standards. Give each step adequate attention to ensure the overall effectiveness of your plan. Set realistic and achievable goals. Accomplishing obtainable goals and then setting additional ones works better than reaching too high and trying to achieve too much in the beginning.