11 Signs that Your Child's School Welcomes Parents

Parent involvement is a key factor in dropout prevention. 

Lack of parent involvement should be considered a significant risk factor leading to teenagers dropping out of high school. 

Conscientious teachers and school officials should encourage parent involvement and make the school inviting to all parents.  

Here are 11 characteristics you might see in a school that is serious about parental involvement:

1. Keeps parents up-to-date (via a bulletin board, Web site, hot line, or news­letter) about upcoming school events, personnel changes, volunteer oppor­tunities, etc.
2.  Informs parents about important changes under consideration before putting them into effect.
3.  Encourages parent-staff committees to weigh in on decisions that signifi­cantly effect the school (e.g., budget, curriculum, teacher hiring).
4.  Holds frequent events (such as open-house nights) where parents and teach­ers can meet, talk, and swap information.
5.  Provides phone numbers or e-mail addresses where parents can reach teachers.
6.  Supports an active parent-teacher group (PTA or PTO).
7.  Invites parents to observe children's classes.
8.  Greets mothers and fathers warmly; treats them in a courteous manner when they ask questions.
9.  Invites parents to make suggestions and evaluate the job that the school is doing, through surveys or direct communication with staff.
10.  Provides clear written information about school rules and procedures.
11.  Explains things to parents in everyday English, not jargon you can't under­stand. 

Do your child's school encourage your involvement. Let me know. 

End Black Dropouts. Sue the School District

Suing the school district for educational malpractice should not be viewed as a last resort. It should be considered anywhere in the process of taking control of the school that your child goes to.

• If the school is hostile to you going in to visit your child’s classroom; 
• If your child has a bad teacher or teachers and the school will not get rid of them; 
• If the school is teaching your child political propaganda rather than the basics and how to learn; 
• then, the chances are you have grounds for a lawsuit against the school district.

The lawsuit itself would be a wake-up call to the school districts that you are concerned about the quality of education provided to your child and that you will not accept any nonsense. Your taxes pay the salaries of the teachers, the administrators, the support staff, their pensions; the books, and all the other expenses connected with the school.

Also let’s be clear, the teachers' union and you as a parent are not on the same page when it comes your child’s education. The teachers' union represents the teachers and exists to make sure that the teachers have a job, have a great salary, and great retirement benefits and health care. Anything else that the union says for public consumption is just hot air.

You and only you must be concerned about the education of your child. The union could not care less if your child is educationally unprepared or just drop out.


Have you considered suing your school district? Leave your comments below.