PTA Applauds Education Secretary’s Pilot Program
Parent Involvement Critical to Program’s Success
CHICAGO (March 19, 2008) – PTA applauds Secretary Spellings’ creation of a differentiated accountability system pilot program. As the Secretary noted in her speech yesterday, not all struggling schools are alike and many states have identified a wide range of schools in need of improvement. A tiered system will allow states to target resources based on the type of interventions a school needs and the intensity of those interventions.
As flexibility is given to schools, accountability must not be lessened, especially with regard to the notice requirements and parent involvement provisions of the ESEA-NCLB. PTA appreciates the Secretary’s inclusion of “timely and transparent” information to the public as one of the eligibility requirements for the pilot program. PTA believes it is imperative that parents know exactly why their child’s school is failing, what the state is doing about it, and the options available to parents’—presented in a very clear and understandable format and a timely manner.
Increased, meaningful and substantive engagement of parents and families is critical to the success of any school intervention. Studies have documented that regardless of the economic, ethnic, or cultural background of the family, parent and family involvement in a child’s education is a major factor in determining achievement in school. Successful parent and family involvement strategies vary from region to region, school to school and this flexibility needs to be supported by the law.
PTA asks Secretary Spellings to require all interventions approved under the differentiated accountability pilot program to provide opportunities for parents to be a part of decisions affecting school improvements. Whether that involves being an integral part of developing a schools’ parental involvement plan or evaluating proposed changes in curriculum, parents provide an invaluable perspective and need to be included in making these decisions.
Furthermore, schools must be an essential part of a community, working cooperatively to build partnerships within the community in order for the school to be more successful. Businesses and community groups need to be engaged and gain a renewed stake in every child’s education. The differentiated accountability pilot program can support that engagement by providing incentives to encourage school-community partnerships. Successful school involvement plans include meaningful parent involvement and community outreach and partnerships.
Adequate funding must be provided so all schools may carry out the provisions of ESEA-NCLB. We must support the progress of all schools towards meeting proficiency goals by and not divert limited resources in the name of targeting. Moreover, we must ensure that the focus on mathematics, reading, and, eventually, science does not cause a narrowing of the curriculum. It is important that art, music, and history not be sacrificed in the name of academic achievement in areas more amenable to standardized testing.
