K-12 Parents and the Public
In this blog, Education Week explored the substantive role parents play in helping set the course of their children’s education and the direction of America’s public schools. This blog is no longer being updated, but you can continue to explore these issues on edweek.org by visiting our related topic pages: families & the community.
Families & the Community
PTA, NFL Team Up on 'Back to Sports Night' Initiative
The National PTA is joining forces with the NFL to promote health and fitness in school children this fall with "Back to Sports Nights," it was announced today as part of the parent-teacher organization's annual convention.
Families & the Community
Mississippi Partnership Contributes to Higher Student Scores
A mom, a group of dedicated volunteers, and Parents for Public Schools' training help struggling middle school students achieve in Mississippi.
School & District Management
Teachers Better Gauges of School Quality Than Parents, NYC Research Says
Parents' opinions about their children's schools tend to be favorable, which makes parents less reliable than teachers in assessing school quality, according to New York City researchers.
Education Funding
PTA Commends Family-Engagement Provisions in ESEA Bill
The National PTA supports several family engagement provisions in legislation the U.S. Senate may consider soon to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), according to National PTA President Betsy Landers.
Assessment
Using 'Nation's Report Card' as a Source for Summer Study
Parents looking for ways to keep their children's minds sharp this summer can access libraries, museums, and even sample questions and activities compliments of the "Nation's Report Card."
Law & Courts
Texas Parents Succeed With 'Too Many Tests' Law
As news of Texas' parents victory against excessive standardized testing spreads, the calls have been coming in from parents who live in other states, wondering how to organize, says Dineen Majcher, an attorney and mother who was a leader of the resistance.
School Choice & Charters
Report: Parents Need Comparable Data, Tools to Make School Choices
In states where parents can exercise choice about which schools their children attend, more effort should be made to help those parents understand the data collected about schools, and to ensure the information is what they need to reliably compare schools, according to a new report.
College & Workforce Readiness
Graduation Rates, Dropout 'Recovery' Focus of Education Week Report
Parents and community members concerned about graduation rates in their state, and how their state compares to others, can access that information via "Diplomas Count 2013," a newly released Education Week special report.
School & District Management
Storify: Parents Taking Assertive Stance in Children's Education
The response to recent school closings illustrates some of the ways parents are asserting themselves, as highlighted in this Education Week Storify.
School & District Management
Professor: Time to Redefine 'Data' for School Closings
Parent and community input, and the historical perspective of a community, represent overlooked data sets in decisions about school closings, according to Muhammad Khalifa, an assistant professor of educational administration at Michigan State University in East Lansing.
School Climate & Safety
New Texting Service to Report Bullying Gets National PTA Support
Students will be able to confidentially report and discuss bullying and other troubling incidents by text message with TipTxt, a new tipline offered by Blackboard, Inc., that is being promoted in conjunction with the National PTA.
School Choice & Charters
Test Scores of La. Voucher Students Below State Average
Students in Louisiana's voucher program performed worse on state tests than public school students statewide, and seven private schools will no longer be able to accept voucher students because of low scores.
School & District Management
Chicago Parents Prepare for New Reality After School Closures
Chicago parent organizers who lost their plea to keep 49 public elementary schools open say they will continue pressing their concerns even as they prepare for the transition.
Student Absenteeism
New Toolkit Gives Pointers on Parent Engagement and Attendance
A new toolkit to engage parents in improving students' attendance in schools was released on May 20 by Attendance Works, a national and state initiative that promotes better policy and practice around school attendance.