At a large community meeting in the fall of 1996, San Diego, California, kicked off a year-long literacy effort. As a part of this effort, the school district conducted a series of focus groups to develop a consensus statement and criteria for student achievement in reading and writing. The school district used these discussions to make informed decisions about the adoption of language arts materials. Coming soon to a neighborhood near you. Instead of assuming that parents who don't show up at school are not interested, Buhrer Elementary School in Cleveland, Ohio, makes it easy for parents to get involved in their children's education.
Teachers hold parent conferences off campus in places closer to students' homes.
Block meetings, which take place every few months in a parent's home or nearby library, address parents' concerns and offer an opportunity to discuss school-related information. Working with parents to help kids learn and prepare for college in Dallas, Texas. Roosevelt High School in Dallas, Texas, makes a special effort to help parents understand what their children need to succeed in school and in life. The school invited parents to an evening class to review the state assessment instrument and to discuss the skills their children are expected to demonstrate on the test. Next year, staff will train parents to help students develop the skills necessary to apply for college, such as completing financial aid forms, obtaining references, and preparing for required standardized tests.