ABSTRACT

Though educators have been hearing about the benefits of regular, purposeful communication with parents for years, it is important for teachers and administrators to know that parents are also receiving the same information. The National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education (NCPIE), one of the larger and more influential parent advocacy groups, says that schools should regularly communicate with parents about their child’s progress and the educational objectives of the school. Furthermore, this organization strongly encourages parents who are not receiving such information to ask for it. Again, the concept of two-way communication is alluded to. This coalition, along with the National Committee for Citizens in Education, is fulfilling a niche that parents never used to ask for and did not consequently appear to need. Specifically, they are counseling parents about how to get involved in their children’s education. In many ways, these

organizations are making the school personnel’s jobs easier. By offering the following suggestions to parents, these organizations are informing parents that they must actively seek involvement in their children’s school. Furthermore, they are making the important point that parents can be partners in schooling from within the confines of their own homes. Not only is that a welcome idea for some parents, but also it validates the fact that family needs have certainly changed over time. The National Committee for Citizens in Education urges all parents to:

Support student events and performances by helping with them (such as sewing costumes or planning scenery for a school play).