Parents Are Powerful in American Schools is for families new to the U.S. that are eager to learn about American schools but may not know where to get the information they need. This workshop familiarizes participants with the American school system, including enrollment, the grading system, the differences between public, private, and religious schools and the rights of English-language learners. Most importantly, parents learn strategies for maximizing their involvement in their children s education and the key role they play in ensuring their children s success in school. This includes what students should know and be able to do in order to meet current standards, what teachers should be teaching, and how students and schools will be assessed. Special emphasis is placed on strategies parents can use with schools to ensure that all students achieve to high standards and receive a quality education.
Participants also learn about the educational rights of both students and parents.
This workshop is recommended for families and individuals who already have a basic understanding of education reform in Massachusetts. Current research maintains that the family makes critical contributions to student achievement. This one-hour workshop explains the different types of family involvement, teaches innovative ways to communicate with parents or teachers, and offers strategies to develop collaborative relationships between families and schools. Parents learn what teachers suggest parents do and parents, in turn, can share their own suggestions for teachers. Current research maintains that the family makes critical contributions to student achievement.