There is a gap, nay, chasm, in the trust between Texas public education students, families, and teachers. This gap is reflected in the negative cumulative test gains from our State Standardized Testing (STAAR) four years ago. The chasm echoes in the classrooms as young scholars explode in anger, refuse to participate in their education, and close down to adults trying to form relationships. The indifference to negative behaviors is modeled by parents and guardians who feel shut out, unwelcome, unable, and no longer a partner in their child(ren)’s education. All the while, staff are leaving the profession en masse, unable to understand the growing discord between home and school for their pupils. Growing disrespect is shown to these public servants who are skilled tradespeople in education because there is no longer a link to building relationships with families. Parents were disallowed on campus during COVID; few, especially in secondary education, are allowing this family involvement back on campus. They are angry and feel left behind. But we know how to fix this situation. The answer is expanding the rights and responsibilities of families, students, and schools to work together to make all children’s potential a reality. Scientific, empirical proof has shown us that family engagement policy plays a critical role in students’ success and is where we must begin.
The Texas Education Association (TEA) emphasizes that “Family Engagement is the mutual responsibility of families, schools, and communities to build relationships to support student learning and achievement, family well-being, and the continuous learning and development of children, families, and educators. This is not a one-sided effort, but a collective endeavor. When we envision public education, we see families, educators, and students working together for a common goal to support a student. We expect two-way communication, a shared responsibility of respect and goal setting, support to family decision-making by valuing the family as a source of information, and an overall arching link of respect between all.”
Family engagement fosters a collaborative relationship between all parties. For families, this includes meeting them where they are and helping them to grow together. It allows parents/guardians to be the student’s first teachers and supports learning collaboration in the home-to-school pipeline. Engagement opens access to conversations so families feel included, supported, and equitable in their communities. Sharing resources builds confidence and trust between them to prevent ill-informed chatter from misunderstandings and creates a team of support for the students locally to get the education they need. When families feel better connected to their children’s education, they can provide better support at home and partner with their teachers in the classroom.
Collaboration with families can lead to more personalized teaching approaches for students. Giving time to allow for building relationships, sharing family strengths and challenges, and an understanding of home life for the student, we grow extended family networks within the school building. Educators benefit by gaining insight into a student’s background, strengths, and story. They also create a welcoming learning environment for students, families, and co-workers. By intentionally creating culturally respectful opportunities for these students and families on our campuses, we grow these networks into a safety net to help protect the children.
Family engagement is a catalyst for positive change, benefiting students the most! When families and schools unite, students are more likely to be prepared for school, achieve, and graduate. Family engagement can also lead to improved literacy, fewer disciplinary issues, and better relationships between teachers and students and parents and teachers. The ripple effect of building positive relationships with families extends to promoting strong parent-child relationships and family well-being. This then can help reduce further obstacles and set a child up early for success. Students benefit by learning self-advocacy and agency to build their success.
National PTA identifies six Standards of Family Engagement that can help schools, PTAs, families, and school districts improve their family-school partnerships so that all students can thrive: Welcoming All Families, Communicating Effectively, Support Student Success, Speaking Up For Every Child, Sharing Power, and Collaborating With The Community. While Family Engagement encompasses all these six standards, I’d like to showcase my seasoned-engaged parent experience, specifically with Collaborating With The Community.
We began by building our schools as the central heart of the community, as the center spoke on a wheel. Our community had an older, rural middle school with a “prisonesque” feel. Our PTA came in with a new principal who was open to ideas to engage our families. We created a community event, free to all at this Title One campus. Each student group took charge of a part of the event. Athletics students grilled hot dogs for the families. Fine Arts and Academic Clubs ran fair games for candy. Student Leadership groups created contests and art projects. Volunteers were invited to host a station doing pumpkin painting, face-painting, trick-or-treat booths and guessing games. All teachers manned a candy station at their classroom door with candy for students to get to know the school and staff. The PTA provided concessions, drinks, prizes for a costume contest, bounce houses, and snow cone vendors. Community helpers were invited and brought out fire trucks, police cars, local politicians shaking hands, and grandparents bringing in their younger kids to their alma mater. Veteran teachers warned that community events would have no attendance at this campus. Students showed up for planning and set-up. They led their school event. They welcomed kids from four feeder elementary schools and the local high school to tour their school and participate. About 700 people attended that first Fest. The power of community and engagement sustained, and this even grew every year. This was the first open event the school had hosted in the many years we had lived there. Creating buy-in for students, strengthening relationships for families, and inviting adults and community members on campus is how it begins. As the years rolled on, engagement activities increased, partnerships grew, and students’ academics and self-esteem skyrocketed.
We are in a crazy time of political madness and correctness. To use a nautical analogy, a boat cannot move forward with two people rowing in opposite directions. They will just continue to spin in circles, moving only where the current, wind, and sway will take them. The opposite of setting an anchor to stay in place also does not give the desired effect of moving together in the same direction. When dropping anchor off the bow deep to keep the boat rooted, you must then drop the back anchor to cleat. When drawing up the line, you pull the slack lines so tightly that there is no movement at all. This creates enormous tension. This is where we sit. The only respite is cutting the lines. Disengaging from families or educators is no different than dropping those anchors. Rowing without working as a team sends the boat in circles. Family engagement policy puts everyone in the same boat, benefitting kids and encouraging communication and community.
It is the collective responsibility of Parents/Caregivers, Students, Teachers/Administrators, and Community members to ensure that the 5.4 million public education students in Texas are given the proper support in education to become productive members of our community. Trust-building, student-empowering, welcoming, and communicative schools will engage all parties. Adults leading this example by modeling positive practices to their students is exactly how we teach our students to learn in Career and Technical Education. The return on investment is outstanding, and the amplification, even with negative initial gains, will build our communities.
Join our Northwest ISD PTA Family Engagement Coalition to help us strengthen our schools, fortify the home-to-school bridge, and encourage our educators, parents, and students. We will bring together diverse backgrounds to find a common policy to support our kids. Give us your voice, share how to mend gaps, and advocate for children. Join us at nisdtxpta.org/engage as we work to adopt the National PTA Standards as the policy for our children in Texas.
Michelle Smith
Fort Worth, TX
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