Title I councils, school-site management teams, other committees
Independent school advisory groups
SAMPLE PRACTICES
Active PTA/PTO or other parent organizations, advisory councils, or committees (e.g., curriculum, safety, personnel) for parent leadership and participation
Action Team for School, Family, and Community Partnerships to oversee the development of the school’s program with practices for all six types of involvement
District-level advisory councils and committees
Information on school or local elections for school representatives
Networks to link all families with parent representatives
Independent advocacy groups to lobby for school reform and improvements
CHALLENGES
Include parent leaders from all racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and other groups in the school
Offer training for parent leaders to develop leadership skills
Include student representatives along with parents in decision making
REDEFINITIONS
“Decision making” means a process of partnership to share views and take action toward shared goals for school improvement and student success, not a power struggle.
RESULTS FOR STUDENTS
Awareness that families’ views are represented in school decisions
Specific benefits linked to policies enacted by parent organizations
RESULTS FOR PARENTS
Awareness of and input to policies that affect children’s education
Shared experiences and connections with other families
RESULTS FOR TEACHERS AND SCHOOLS
Awareness of families’ perspectives in policies and school decisions
Acceptance of equality of family representatives on school committees
The Center on School, Family, and Community Partnerships and NNPS are part of the Center for Social Organization of Schools (CSOS) in the School of Education at Johns Hopkins University.
Promising Partnership Practices
NNPS members share their best practices in books of Promising Partnership Practices. The activities address challenges to engage all families and organize leadership for partnerships. They show how family and community partnerships improve the school climate and boost student success in school.
Contact
National Network of Partnership Schools
Center for Social Organization of Schools
Johns Hopkins University School of Education
2800 N. Charles Street, Suite 420
Baltimore, Maryland 21218 nnps@jhu.edu
tel: 410-516-2318
fax: 410-516-5572