What Is It?
The Parental Involvement Pledge has two components. It provides an opportunity for parents to formalize their commitment to working with their child's school through a written agreement they can complete and take to their parent leader, school secretary, teacher, or principal. The Pledge also provides a survey of parent volunteer interests. The survey identifies 37 areas in which parents can volunteer in school, outside the classroom and at home. The Pledge is based on the Six Types of Parental Involvement developed by Dr. Joyce Epstien at John's Hopkins University.How Do You Use It?
The Pledge is a tool to share with staff and parent organizations as a way of recruiting volunteers and appropriately connecting them with specific needs and activities.When Do You Use It?
Title I of No Child Left Behind requires that a Pledge or other learning compact be used during parent-teacher conferences. Use it also when you want to encourage parents to volunteer or when you want teachers to invite and encourage parental involvement on National Parental Involvement Day, the third Thursday in November or Public School Volunteer Week which is the third week of April.
Why Do You Use It?
U.S. Department of Education research (Prospects Study 1993) demonstrates that schools that use learning compacts like the Parental Involvement Pledge have higher student achievement than those that don't use them. The Pledge provides a concrete way to help parents volunteer because it allows them to choose very specific activities. It is easier to get a commitment and follow-through if it is clear exactly what is being asked and what is expected.Who Do You Involve?
When parents are involved, their children do better in school, and they go to better schools. Why is this true? Because when parents are welcome in the school and are consulted about decisions affecting their children, an atmosphere of trust and collaboration develops between school and home. When this happens, our children will perform at a higher level, and the school will become more effective. The school is a critically important community institution, since the quality of education shapes not only our children's individual future, but also the future of your community and society. Your support of public schools is important; involvement and action by several parents in a group can influence school policy-makers and result in decisions and choices than can benefit many children. Use the Pledge with parents, parent groups, and staff as a tool and encouragement for parental involvement.
Join the Parental Involvement Movement In America. Get the Parental Involvement Toolbox for Your Schools!
The Parental Involvement Toolbox is Project Appleseed's award winning tool to recruit parent volunteers in public schools.
Parent Volunteer Recruitment Tools
- Participate in National Parental Involvement Day and Public School Volunteer Week.
- Master copies of the Parental Involvement Pledge for distribution to every student.
- The Inventory of Volunteer Interests covering three dozen volunteer activities.
- The Parental Involvement Report Card a self diagnostic tool for parents.
- Your school's very own Parental Involvement Pledge Online for your school's web site. Bookmark it for every school and home computer!
- A Certificate of Parental Involvement for parents and schools.
Staff Support Tools
- Suggestions on How To Run A Successful Pledge Campaign.
- Twenty-Six Ways to Reach Out to Parents.
- Project Appleseed's Newsletter Appleseed Today.
- A Certificate of Recognition.
- Title I, Parental Involvement Certification
- Regular e-mail updates on Project Appleseed and parental involvement best practices.
- Sample letters for parent recruitment.
Parent Organizing Software
- A complete data base for all Pledged volunteers-- parents, grandparents, families and community members!
- Monitor Pledge fulfillment activity of each volunteer
- Keep detailed information on unique volunteer preferences and abilities...and more!