New Guide: State Laws on Family Engagement in Education

Posted by on December 14, 2009

New guide for parental engagement

A new publication from the National PTA provides key facts, background, analysis, noteworthy statutes, and policy recommendations for state PTAs and other family and child advocates for crafting successful school-family engagement legislation at the state level. The reference guide has two declared purposes. It provides information on family engagement provisions within state education laws, so that families can better advocate for their children’s education on the school and district levels. It also guides policymaker and advocate development of legislative reform initiatives, as well as efforts to monitor implementation of laws already in place. Research shows compelling evidence that children benefit from family engagement in their schools, and that family engagement helps close educational gaps between children from different racial groups and socioeconomic backgrounds. “These are exciting times for the field of family and community engagement, given the renewed emphasis on shared responsibility in uplifting our nation’s education system and standing in the global community,” write the authors. “The time is now to advocate for bold policy reforms that support the advancement of systemic family engagement initiatives in all of our schools.” In their view, implementation of state policies at the local school level is a critical component of achieving greater family engagement in education.

See the guide: http://www.pta.org/3717.asp