Districts, schools and teachers set the climate for parent involvement. Parents need to know that they are valued members of the school community and that they are equal supporters of their children’s academic success.

How do schools best support parents’ differing communication styles? How do parents become more comfortable communicating with schools and teachers? How do parents communicate messages to children about the importance of school?

Without trusting relationships, partnerships often fail. Building relationships is critical for parent-teacher collaboration. In order for parents and teachers to be full partners, rapport and trust must be developed. Relationship building takes time-between parents and teachers, but also between parents and children-particularly if the relationship contains new or changing expectations.

Many teachers are not prepared to work with parents and need new skills to develop partnerships with families. In the same respect, parents often are not prepared to work with teachers. Additionally, they sometimes struggle with the best ways to work with their children.

Once teachers and parents have information, they usually feel more confident in their abilities. Professional development for teachers and training for parents should mirror each other and have the same end in mind — children’s academic success.

Both teachers and parents can, and should be, leaders and mentors in a parent involvement partnership. As leadership and mentorship are built within the school or district, sustainability is magnified, schools meet their goals, and children succeed. Parents and teachers feel success as well.

Applying Research in Reading Instruction for Adults: First Steps for Teachers is a new publication by NCFL author Susan McShane. The book seeks to build adult literacy instructors’ knowledge of scientifically based reading research and provide basic guidance on how to use it in the classroom.

This outline was originally developed for the Toyota Families in Schools program to help teachers and administrators in elementary schools plan and implement Parent and Child Together (PACT) Time in a comprehensive family literacy program.

The five staff roles listed here have been identified as crucial to the success of the Toyota Families in Schools model, an intensive family literacy program implemented in 45 Title I schools. 

Elementary schools nationwide are seeking ways to position parents as solid partners in the education of their children. To meet this need, elementary school family literacy programs are providing a powerful approach to involving parents in their children’s education.