Key points:
The “Meet the Teacher” events have taken place. The supply lists have been checked off. The classroom rules have been stapled into take-home folders.
School is officially back in session–and family engagement is strong. This is important: Research shows when parents and caregivers are involved in their children’s schooling, students show higher academic achievement, school engagement, and motivation.
How can districts continue the momentum and energy of the back-to-school season and meaningfully involve families in their child’s learning for the remainder of the school year? What should district leaders keep in mind, especially in times of rapid change?
These questions were put in front of some of the nation’s top female school district leaders at the 2024 Women Leading Ed Summit. Here’s what they had to say.
Parents are partners.
“As a mother myself, I want to first acknowledge there is nothing more important than our children. There is no other line of work where your clients, so to speak, are more passionate. And that’s as it should be. Parents are every child’s first teacher. We have to acknowledge that because it’s really central to the conversation.” —Heather Sanchez, Chief of Schools, Bellevue School District, Wash.
“We can get tunnel vision. We talk to each other in education all the time but to hear the parents’ perspective opens up my mind. It helps us to make a better implementation plan. We always have to remember that parents are our partners in this work.”–Mary-Anne Sheppard, Executive Director of Leadership Development, Norwalk Public Schools, Conn.
“We have to figure out how to re-partner with parents. I’ve been in a lot of districts where parents are disengaged because their own educational experience wasn’t the most pleasant, so they have a bad taste in their mouth to walk into a school. And I think it’s about re-engaging them in the partnership. ‘We’re here to help you help your kid, and we’re also helping your student. So how do we work together?’” –Shanie Keelean, Deputy Superintendent, Rush-Henrietta Central School District, NY
Communicate, communicate, communicate.
“You have to communicate, communicate, communicate. The groups of parents who are part of the advisory council are very small. You need to be able to also make sure that you’re communicating with the larger community. So it is important that you communicate, whether it’s in writing, through videos … because there are different learners and you want to make sure that you reach all parents. Make sure your message is very clear and give people an opportunity … to get back to you if they have a thought, if they have an idea.” –Nerlande Anselme, Superintendent, Rome City School District, NY
“The first step that really should be taken is to ensure that every community has awareness of what change we’re making and why. One of the reasons people often struggle with change is they often feel like they’re going to lose something. When we build awareness, not only do we help folks understand the changes that will happen– the progression and the timeline and what you should expect to see and what role you can play along the way–but you also help to fill that fear. Instead it’s ‘Here’s what you’ll gain’ and ‘Here’s how I can show that to you along the way so that we can celebrate milestones and be motivated to keep moving forward.’” –Carolyne Quintana, Former Deputy Chancellor of Teaching and Learning, New York City Public Schools, NY
“Find creative ways to get student, parent, and even community voice. We have parent liaisons in many of our schools. We translate everything into four different languages. We send out weekly newsletters. We send out attendance letters that are secondary four times a day. We do webinars and surveys. There are so many things that we do to make sure that we are open and giving information to the parents in time when they need it.” –Melanie Kay-Wyatt, Superintendent, Alexandria City Public Schools, Va.
Listen.
“Listen to what stakeholders, especially parents, want for their students. I love to use surveys … to help bring on those conversations, then highlight the survey data. ‘This is what you’re asking for. This is what you’re telling me you want.’ Bringing those stakeholders to the table and aligning what they’ve said they wanted with the goals of the district and developing a plan.” —Dr. Kimberley James, Superintendent, Willis Independent School District, TX
“Coming from a place of curiosity is really critical. So is being open to revising your own thinking.”–Mary-Anne Sheppard, Executive Director of Leadership Development, Norwalk Public Schools, Conn.
Empower participation.
“First, let parents know the information they need to know so they feel empowered to participate.
Second, give them actual questions to answer or things to do that you’re going to use. Not just committee meetings or town halls, but what is it that they can contribute to that will actually make the product better or make the initiative stronger?
Third, you have to connect it to their own kids. Everyone cares a lot about schools, but really you care about your own child. And so making that connection about why this matters to me, why this will help my own child is really, really important. So don’t be afraid to provide the information, tell them exactly what their role is in that, and then say, this is how it makes your family, your child, your life better. If you have those three things, parents want their children to be successful. They want to do what’s best for their kids and making that connection is gonna be critical for them.”
—Dr. Penny Schwinn, Vice President for PK-12 and Pre-Bachelors Programs, University of Florida and Former Tennessee State Commissioner of Education
Interviews were conducted by Presence, a provider of special education-related and mental health assessments and teletherapy services for K-12 schools, as part of its Visionary Voices video series. Responses have been edited for clarity and brevity.
