Tips For Parental Involvement

According to the US Department of Education, 72 percent of students would like to talk to their parents more about schoolwork and 89 percent of company executives identified the biggest obstacle to school reform as lack of parental involvement. The Partnership for Family Involvement in Education (PFIE), a division of the US Department of Education, recommends ten simple steps with positive effects for parents to be more involved in their children’s education.

The ten steps include: read a book with your child; establish a daily routine for homework, chores, and television; discuss the day’s events together; start planning for high school and college early; volunteer at your child’s school; attend parent-teacher conferences and school or class events; take family outings to the zoo, library, museum, or sporting events; coach a sports team or practice together; take community classes together – in music, crafts, or computers; join the Parent Teacher Association or other parent groups.

As part of the US Department of Education, PFIE’s mission is to increase opportunities for families to be more involved in their children’s learning at school and at home and to use family, school, and community partnerships to strengthen schools and improve students’ achievement. Parents can visit www.mcdonaldsnymetro.com to view these tips or can receive a booklet by sending requests to: The MWW Group, Attn. McDonald’s A+ Parents, One Meadowlands Plaza, East Rutherford, NJ 07073.