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Partnering with Parents In Dropout Prevention Strategies that Promote Graduation and School Achievement Shauna McDonald 2007 The Importance of Families The most accurate predictor of a student’s school achievement is the extent to which a family encourages learning The Importance of Families Families play an important role in making sure their student graduates. Staying involved in a teen’s life during middle school and high school is critical for parents. The Importance of Families Families of youth with disabilities are as involved in school as all parents. Variations based on disability: • Speech or orthopedic impairments – most likely to participate in school meetings, events, or to volunteer. • ED or MR – least likely to participate in above––but most likely to attend parent-teacher conferences. Parents = The most influential teachers IDEA 2004 ESEA NCLB All contain requirements about parent participation in their youth’s education. A Combinedwww.psocenter.org Effort A comprehensive dropout prevention program is more than parent involvement. States now must locate all former students with IEPs. This data can help parents with decisions about secondary placement options – and ultimately impact school completion. Dropout and Disability Risks intensify … dropout rate of nearly 38% is more than twice that of students who do not have disabilities students from low income families or from minority cultures are at even higher risk Youth with Emotional Disturbance Dropout rate of 61%! About 50% were suspended or expelled in the past year Youth Need Adults Who Care The Importance of Families Middle school and high school students whose parents remain involved tend to: • make better transitions • maintain quality of work • develop realistic plans for their future • have higher graduation rates • seek postsecondary education The Importance of Families Family support in middle school Parents may think that their child needs less support, or They may not know how to be involved, and Their teens want more privacy and independence. Middle School Students By eighth grade – 20% of all students with disabilities, and 40% of Hispanic students with disabilities drop out of school High School Students In the transition years, parents of children with disabilities must confront the impact of disability on their child in the adult world as well as new fears for their child’s future. What Youth Say…. 71% said one of the keys to keeping them in school is better communication between parents and schools and increased parental involvement in their education Fewer than half said that their school contacted them or their parents when they were absent or dropped out Cultivating family involvement Families say that the current system does not make it easy for them to be effective partners: • Lack of coordinated, individualized services for students • Cultural differences may complicate relationship • Lack of Information Cultivating family involvement Informational needs of parents and students: • self-advocacy • balancing educational standards education with functional life skills • career preparation and employment options • collaboration across systems Cultivating family involvement Strategies: • Offer a wide variety of ways to participate • Support participation in any school or community opportunity • Account for cultural and individual differences • Enable participation regardless of skill level • Provide support to improve participation skills Cultivating family involvement Strategies: • Meeting schedules that accommodate family needs • Staff development on welcoming and working collaboratively with families and students • Supports and materials that reflect diversity • Regular home and school communication (as an expectation) • Referrals to community resources Cultivating family involvement Strategies: • Phone network or chain of volunteer families to call each other • Short survey to determine events and activities families want • Invite families to visit, and create a comfortable environment • Suggestion box for families to communicate anonymously • Opportunities for youth involvement in all school activities • Open school gym, pools, classrooms for after-school events Cultivating family involvement Strategies: • Written policies that promote family involvement • Administrative support (funds, space, staff time, etc.) • Ongoing training for staff and families • Joint planning, goal setting, policy development, evaluation • Networking programs to share information and resources • Evaluation activities at key stages and conclusion of a project Cultivating family involvement Strategies: • Written policies that overtly respect diversity • Information for families on policies, goals, reforms • Training available for families on policy, reform, related issues • Accessible and understandable decision-making and problem-solving processes • Students and families on governance and other programs and committees Supporting Student Activities Engagement Extracurricular Supporting Engagement PersonalStudent development Few youth with disabilities participate in extracurricular activities unless parents or schools facilitate involvement Yet, students with self-determination skills have more positive educational outcomes Supporting Work-based Student learning Engagement Service learning Career exploration Paid work experience Career advising Curriculum based interventions, e.g., computer based career guidance Youth who participate are more likely to be competitively employed Find the right school setting Regular School Magnet School Charter School Career Academy GED Program etc. What Parents can do …. When There’s a Problem IT IS IMPORTANT TO DO SOMETHING !! Parents CAN impact a child’s decision to stay in school ! What parents can do • Know your child’s friends, families • Tell teachers to contact you with homework issues Skipping = Warning • If your child still struggles, find help! • Monitor attendance Diploma Options? Honors diploma/diploma of high distinction Standard diploma Occupational diploma Certificate of achievement IEP/special education diploma Certificate of completion/attendance Strategies • A variety of communication methods • Communication based on individual student and family needs and that includes alternate formats and languages as needed • Reports of positive student behavior and achievement (and • Improving the literacy skills of English Language Learners Strategies Tailoring training to the cultural traditions of families improves recruitment and outcome effectiveness • For example, parents from culturally and racially diverse populations may prefer one-on-one meetings rather than more traditional training formats such as • Additional strategies may include family-mentoring programs, needs assessment surveys, and working with culturally specific community organizations that have created relationships of trust Helpful Resources Nat’l Dropout Prevention Center www.dropoutprevention.org Nat’l Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center www.nsttac.org National Longitudinal Transition Study 2 http://www.nlts2.org/ National Center on Secondary Education and Transition www.ncset.org PACER Center www.pacer.org 2007 The End… Strategies that Promote Graduation and School Achievement Created by… Deborah Leuchovius and Dixie Jordan For PACER CENTER Inc., 2008 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007 What do we mean by family/parent involvement? 2007 Parents can do FindWhat the Right School Setting Regular School Magnet School Charter School Career Academy GED Program etc