bto success story: PARENT LIAISON TRAINING IS UNIQUE RESOURCE FOR INCREASING STUDENT academic achievement

One of the most exciting aspects of working at a school is the opportunity to personally impact student achievement. This is especially true of schools committed to a culture of collaboration. Rather than concentrating authority and decision making at the top, principals bring staff and community members into the problem-solving process where they play an active role in conceiving of, and implementing, solutions to problems.

 

In the process, some schools have discovered a secret weapon — parent liaisons. The Beat the Odds Institute is working with Arizona schools to maximize the impact of these individuals upon student achievement.

Parent Liaisons

Since the advent of the No Child Left Behind Act, many schools with low-income student populations have added parent liaison positions to ensure they comply with federal requirements tied to the receipt of Title I funding. These requirements include instituting parental involvement plans and policies, engaging in ongoing communication, and providing opportunities for parent involvement.

 

Parent liaisons’ primary duty is to ensure that parents attend and participate in school events. The Beat the Odds Parents as Partners Program broadens their scope and impact. It provides parent liaisons with the knowledge and skills they need to actively engage parents in improving their children’s academic performance.

Parents as Partners

During the 2008-2009 academic year, 40 representatives from 15 Maricopa County schools completed the Parents as Partners training program. All were from schools participating in the Beat the Odds School Partners Program. The group included school social workers, counselors and parent coordinators, as well as school liaisons.

 

The training developed their understanding of the state testing program and test results; provided practical information about learning and study skills that empower parents; instructed them in the six Beat the Odds keys to success that their schools are implementing; and provided additional, valuable information.

 

As a result of the training, one of the liaisons took the initiative to meet with his principal to discuss how he could best support the school in providing student academic excellence. “He came in with such confidence and knowledge,” the principal said. “He certainly demonstrated how indispensable he is to the school.”

Meeting a Need

According to Pat Andazola, the Parents as Partners training leverages the strong, trusting, one-on-one relationships the liaisons often have with the students’ parents. The retired K-8 principal is a Beat the Odds School Partners Program mentor and a member of the Parents as Partners curriculum committee.

 

“He or she (the parent liaison) is in a position to guide parents to develop their knowledge and skills in becoming actively engaged parents, not only in day-to-day school functions, but in their child's learning,” she said.

 

Maria Paredes, who is responsible for meeting all federal and state parental involvement requirements for the Creighton Elementary School District, feels the effort has great potential. Two of the district’s 10 parent liaisons participated in the 2008-2009 Parents as Partners Program.

 

“There is a lot of responsibility in creating parent involvement in schools,” she commented. “So far schools have not been able to meet these demands because they have very little knowledge of how to create effective involvement. This is a great first step.”

 

Andazola echoed the sentiment. “Training opportunities are available for parents, but very few exist for parent liaisons,” she said. “Parents as Partners provides training that oftentimes the principal does not have the time to provide.”

 

An updated and enhanced version of the Parents as Partners training will be offered during the 2009-2010 school year to Beat the Odds School Partners.