Parent Involvement in Education

REFLECTIVE ESSAY: PARENT INVLOVEMENT

Reflective Essay-Module 5
EDA614A- Theories and Applications of Educational Leadership

Prepared for Professor
Faculty at National University

In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the

Master of Education
Tier I Administrative Credential

by

Adriana Magallanes
October 15, 2004

PARENT INVOLVEMENT
Overview
Creating a successful school site involves many aspects of the "school community" to be involved. The school's community consists of students, faculty, staff, parents, and community. In is tremendously important that school sites build a partnership with parents for different reasons, primarily increasing student achievement. As it has been expressed and several times, "Parent (and community) involvement are essential ingredients--perhaps the most crucial components--of building stronger schools," (Jackobson, 1997). Unfortunately, is has been reported that parent involvement is a largely "untapped resource" for schools to increase student achievement and a sense of community and commitment (Regional Education Laboratory, 2004). As a result, higher student achievement would have a positive effect on meeting Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) goals and also increasing the schools Academic Performance Index (API). In addition to the many benefits of parent involvement there are also specific mandates for it. In fact, under the No Child Left Behind Act any school receiving Title I funds must develop and establish a descriptions of how they will involve parents in the development of plan and the overseeing of them (California Department of Education, 2004). In addition, Title I schools must also disseminate the schools parental involvement practices, pertinent information in regard to teacher qualifications, student achievement, hold meetings, and offer parent involvement at different times, among other things (California Department of Education, 2004). As there many obstacles that administrators in the K-12 arena

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