At the October 10th stakeholder meeting, the Illinois PIRC team from ColumbiaCollege shared information about parent engagement – why it is important, how it benefits children, and how to encourage parental engagement at schools.

The PIRC team provided some background on the research into parent engagement, including a SEDL review of current literature and research into parental engagement. The SEDL report includes information about the common barriers to engagement, and some strategies for overcoming those barriers. For more information on SEDL’s work, please visit their Web site –

Using materials and learnings from Beyond the Bake Sale, The PIRC team shared with the attendees a tool they can use to assess how family-friendly their school is, and also discussed the need for principals/administrators to have an equal buy-in to parental engagement and be willing to commit to supporting meaningful parental engagement, as well. Administrators need to be willing to commit time, space, and resources to parental engagement. Time refers to the need for principals to make the commitment to having the school open and resources available for parents when the school might not otherwise do so (i.e., on Saturdays, later into the evenings). Principals also need to devote some space to parental engagement and support – it could be as large as a dedicated room that can be transformed into a parent center, or as small as a corner of the library – where parents feel welcomed, can access information and resources, and can engage with each other. Lastly, administrators need to put some resources towards meaningful parental engagement, and this can range from providing budget to hire a dedicated parental support staffer to providing materials for the parent center.

Stakeholder members then worked together to share their own strategies and successful parent engagement activities, especially surrounding breaking down the barriers to meaningful parental engagement. The group’s discussions are summarized below, categorized by overcoming barriers.

Creating a Welcoming Environment

Research shows that creating a welcoming school environment encourages parental involvement and engagement. Stakeholder meeting participants shared different ways that they create a welcoming environment, including:

  • Painting flowers on school metal detectors
  • Opening the door for families and making sure that they are warmly greeted
  • Having plants in the main hallway/by the main school door
  • Making sure that signage and directional tools are easily visible to guide parents around the school
  • Meeting the needs of parents (ranging from childcare support to case management to access to resources) and linking meeting their needs to learning opportunities
  • Working with the assets of families
  • Demonstrating to parents that they are wanted in the school and that their participation with the school is valued and important
  • Designating a point person in the school to work with parents.

Creating Trusting Relationships

Another common barrier to parent engagement is the lack of a strong relationship or the trust necessary to build these relationships among parents, school leadership, and school staff. Some of the ways that stakeholders suggested building this trust and these relationships were:

  • Being mindful of the qualities and experiences teachers and families have had with each other, and through their own educational experiences
  • Creating programs that support parents in supporting their children’s academic experiences, such as homework help for parents and having tutors and information available during report card pick up days
  • Ensuring that parent advocates understand and know the community and the parents
  • Creating a space and time for coming together, talking, sharing, and understanding each other’s goals, strengths, and concerns
  • Creating staff development opportunities around what parent engagement means to school staff and teachers – what types of involvement would they welcome, do they need, what would parental involvement “look like?”
  • Creating a classroom directory and/or a school directory so parents can stay connected to each other, being mindful that parental engagement also takes place away from/out of the school (i.e., in school after hours, at home, among other parents, at the park, etc.)
  • Creating a school culture in which new parents are welcomed, embraced, and feel comfortable
  • Reaching out to parents and demonstrating effective ways to communicate.

Developing Families’ Self-Confidence

Another way to foster meaningful parent engagement is to develop families and their self-confidence. Stakeholder members reported several different ways to achieve this, including:

  • Holding leadership development workshops for parents
  • Creating parent teams to address a variety of different aspects of school culture/operations (such as health & wellness)
  • Triangulating levels of communication – put parents, staff members, school leadership all in direct and clear communication with each other
  • Making sure that communications are clear in terms of not using “education speak.”

Proactive Steps to Engagement

Members also shared different strategies and actions they have taken and continue to take to engage parents. Some activities include:

  • Creating a structure that fits the needs and interests of parents
  • Making sure that classes and programs take place when parents are available – in some schools that means having parent workshops and events and adult classes in the evenings and on weekends
  • Creating opportunities for families to have fun together, learn together, and just be together
  • Having enough flexibility in programs to create options and opportunities for “next steps” – i.e., several different levels of computer classes, ranging from beginners’ level to expert
  • Exposing parents to school curriculum and academic expectations so they are clear on what is being taught to and expected of their children (for example, Literacy and Math Nights, explicit progress reports that include specific and unique tips and strategies that parents can use with their own children)
  • Hosting parent nights that speak to specific needs of children – i.e., grade-level meetings, using children’s presentations or performances to encourage families to come to school
  • Creating space and time for Café Conversations – parent-to-parent opportunities to connect with community resources
  • Sharing information and/or being available to answer questions and provide information during after-school dismissal time/pick up
  • Creating opportunities for parents to become engaged during children’s programming time – i.e., asking parents to stay for one hour during Saturday activities

For more information about the Illinois PIRC or for additional ideas, strategies, resources, and support for parental engagement, please visit the Illinois PIRC Web site at: