Online Resources for Parent Involvement in Schools

Check these helpful online resources to find out about research on how parent involvement affects academic achievement, how to interpret data on school performance and where parents can obtain information that helps them get involved in schools.

Commonwealth Institute for Parent Leadership
CIPL has trained more than 1,000 parents to take an active role in school improvement. It is a project of the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence, an independent citizens' advocacy group that has worked since 1983 to improve education in Kentucky. Check out their helpful guide for parents, 12 Things You Should Know About and Expect From Your Schools and Yourself.

Connect for Kids
Connect for Kids offers a section on Parent Involvement in Education. It’s working with the National Education Association on a public service campaign to encourage parent and community involvement in schools.

The Education Trust
As part of its mission to raise the quality of education for all students, the Education Trust trains parents as Standards Bearers. It teaches them what grade-level learning standards mean and how they can be used as tools for school reform.

Family Involvement Network of Educators
Part of the Harvard Family Research Project, FINE promotes partnerships between families, communities and schools. The site includes Member Insights and Resources that can help parents make a case for family involvement in schools.

The Nation’s Report Card
Produced by the federally funded National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), The Nation’s Report Card is the most authoritative assessment of the skills and knowledge of U.S. students. It’s a good starting point for gathering data to raise parent awareness of the need for academic improvement. For example, NAEP reported only 29% of fourth grade students in the U.S. read at a proficient level in 1998 and only 25% performed at a proficient level in mathematics in 2000.

National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education
This organization, which advocates the involvement of parents and families in their children’s education, lists events and resources on its Web site. A special section of the site is devoted to helping children with special needs.