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How Strong CommunicationContributes to Student

and School Success:Parent and Family Involvement

From the National School Public Relations Association

National School Public Relations Association15948 Derwood RoadRockville, Maryland 20855301-519-0496www.NSPRA.org

Executive Director Richard D. Bagin, APR

© 2006 National School Public Relations Association.

The text in this document may be reproduced free of charge inany format or medium providing that it is reproduced accuratelyand not used in a misleading context. The material must beacknowledged as NSPRA copyright and the title of the documentspecified.

Any inquiries relating to the copyright should be directed to theaddress above.

How Strong CommunicationContributes to Student and SchoolSuccess: Parent and FamilyInvolvement is the first in a series ofwhite papers sponsored by theNational School Public RelationsAssociation.

How Strong Communication Contributes toStudent and School Success:

Parent and Family InvolvementFrom the National School Public Relations Association

Contents

Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Section One 5

How Communication Can Strengthen Parent and Family Involvement . . . . . . . . . . 6End Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Section Two 17

A Few Ideas on Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18New Standards for the School Public Relations Profession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20A Final Lesson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Section Three 31

National PTA — National Standards for Parent/Family Involvement Programs . . . 32

Appendices 35

About NSPRA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36Communication Accountability Project Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37About the Author — Anne O. Cary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382005-06 NSPRA Executive Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38Senior NSPRA Staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

1NSPRA | Parent and Family Involvement

2 NSPRA | How Strong Communication Contributes to Student and School Success


Gay Campbell, APRNSPRA President

2005-2006

Foreword

Gay Campbell, APR

hose of us who work in school communication know howmuch our efforts contribute to our districts’ bottom lines. We

understand just how year-round communication and meaningfulparental and community involvement build support for our schoolsand the children they serve.

To continue to document the vital link between schoolcommunication and school and student success, the CommunicationAccountability Project (CAP) by the National School PublicRelations Association (NSPRA) has undertaken a number of researchand educational efforts.

As one part of those efforts, we are pleased to present this compilationof research investigating the links among communication,involvement and achievement.

NSPRA and its many members are working to gather and analyzeeven more insights and data. Just a few examples: CAP researchteams are gathering data about successful superintendents, whatsearch firms look for in superintendent candidates and how year-round programs contribute to the bottom line — both financiallyand in student success. A group of NSPRA members has committedtheir time to conducting research to show the contribution of a goodcommunication program to student learning and financial stability.

We are confident our NSPRA research will help educational leaders,as well as the parents and communities they serve, better understandand appreciate the essential role strong communication plays inhelping schools and children succeed.

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Section OneHow Communication Can Strengthen

Parent and Family Involvement


ommunication is the heart of education.1 School communication isa dynamic part of education success. Effective two-way

communication is cited as a necessary trait for success at all levels ofeducation, from school board to superintendent to principal, administratorand teacher. In a survey conducted by the Educational Research Service forthe American Association of School Administrators and the NationalSchool Boards Association, both board presidents and superintendentsnamed “good communication” as the chief reason boards had a good

relationship with their superintendent. To them, “good” meant having a “constant flow of qualityinformation from the superintendent to the school board.” On the other hand, “an unwillingness to talkcandidly” was a major obstacle to a sound relationship (Educational Research Service 1985).2

No longer can an educator get by just slipping amonthly newsletter into the backpack and ensuringthat the local paper gets the sports schedule. In an ageof instantaneous access and 24/7 demand, schoolsmust be able to manage the flow of information notonly from teacher to students sitting in a classroom,but also to parents at the workplace and home.Administrators must be able to handle the newsmedia’s asking about incidents texted from studentcell phones or to respond to queries about schoolperformance reports posted on the web. School staffmust be creative and innovative as the means ofcommunication and the expectations expand rapidly.At a time when school choice, vouchers and charterschools provide more alternatives for parents, selling aschool becomes more of a priority. What types ofcommunication work best to build, maintain andstrengthen a school community of parents, students,teachers, administrators, community leaders, socialgroups, businesses, political leaders, taxpayers andneighbors? The research is uneven and of very limitedquality, depending predominately on less thanrigorous case studies, pre- and post-comparisonstudies or anecdotes. This unevenness is shared bymany other areas of educational research. There arenot enough experimental or quasi-experimentalstudies; sample sizes are frequently small and fewstudies are long-term and many do not haveindependent verification.3

No Child Left Behind (NCLB), the key 2001legislation that is driving much educational reform,puts emphasis on determining which educationalprograms and practices have been proven effectivethrough rigorous scientific research. Federal fundingis targeted to support the programs and teaching

methods that work to improve student learning andachievement. The field of K-12 education contains avast array of educational interventions that claim toimprove educational outcomes. The evidence offeredis frequently poorly designed and/or advocacy-driven. Many interventions were fad-like, yieldinglittle in the way of positive and lasting change — aperception confirmed by the flat achievement resultsover the past 30 years in the National Assessment ofEducational Progress long-term trend.4The NCLB“What Works” approach, with its systematic testingand review of practices and their applicability, willgive practitioners the tools to identify evidence-basedinterventions and use them to spark majorimprovements in their schools. NCLB requiresschools to develop ways to get parents more involvedin their child’s education and in improving theschool. Schools receiving federal funds under Title I(seeking to bridge the achievement gap betweeneconomically disadvantaged children and otherchildren) must fund family involvement activities.

The research is clear that communication plays animportant role in the type and quality ofparent/community involvement. In A New Wave ofEvidence: The Impact of School, Family and CommunityConnections on Student Achievement, Anne Hendersonand Karen Mapp examine 51 research studiesconducted between 1993 and 2002 and synthesize thestudies’ findings. They found there is a positive andconvincing relationship between family andcommunity involvement and improved studentacademic achievement, including higher gradepointaverages and scores on standardized tests, more classespassed, higher enrollment in more challengingacademic classes, better attendance and improved

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behavior at home and at school. This holds acrossfamilies of all economic, racial/ethnic and educationalbackgrounds and for students at all ages.5 Parent andcommunity involvement are identified as factors inmost studies which examine the research on effectiveschooling.6 Numerous school/family/communitypartnerships have produced dramatic and lastingincreases in student achievement. Some positiveexamples include James Comer’s work with NewHaven schools (Comer 1988), Joyce Epstein’s School,Family and Community Partnerships Network inBaltimore (Epstein, 2001) and the work of sevenurban principals cited in the Heritage Foundation’s NoExcuses (Carter, 2000).

Key characteristics associated with academicimprovement include high standards and expectationsfor all students and curriculum, effective leadership,focused professional development, frequentmonitoring of teaching and learning, and parent andcommunity involvement (Henderson & Mapp,2002). The importance of establishing andmaintaining meaningful, direct, two-waycommunication between schools, parents and thecommunity is one of the defining features of effectiveparent and community involvement. Activelyencouraging parental and community involvementhas been part of the National Education Goals since1994. The PTA introduced national standards fordevelopment and evaluation of parental involvementprograms in 1997. The 2001 NCLB legislationmandates written parent involvement policies.

While the importance of building these partnershipsis widely embraced, the practices in most schoolshave hardly caught up with the flourishing rhetoric.7

Schools still struggle to engage families in helpingtheir children succeed. Home-school relationshipsare often characterized as centered on schoolpriorities and initiated by the schools at the expenseof ignoring families’ concerns and expertise regardingtheir children.8 Parents and principals cite lack oftime as the most common barrier to increasedinvolvement, but research identifies lack of planningfor partnerships and lack of mutual understanding asthe two greatest barriers to effective familyinvolvement.9 Other factors which affect increasedfamily involvement include previous negative

experiences with the school, language and culturaldifferences, the absence of requests and invitationsfrom the school for family involvement, child careconstraints, lack of transportation and feelings ofinadequacy or inefficacy in dealing with schoolofficials.10

Teachers also struggle with increasing familyengagement in children’s education. While 98% ofteachers believe that effective teachers need to workwell with students’ families and 90% see it as one oftheir school’s priorities, the 2005 edition of TheMetLife Survey of the American Teacher: Transitionsand the Role of Supportive Relationships found thebiggest challenge new teachers face and the areas inwhich they feel least prepared is parent involvement.New teachers are most likely to reportcommunicating with and involving parents as theirgreatest problem. Thirty-one percent believe that thisis the greatest challenge, compared to 22% who saythat it is getting sufficient resources and 20% whosay that maintaining order and discipline in theclassroom is the greatest challenge. Other barriersfrom a teacher’s perspective include low teachingefficacy, negative experiences with parents,uncertainty about working with diverse families andinadequate school support for involvement efforts.11

It’s disappointing that less than half ofAmericans are satisfied with the qualityof public education in the nation, but it isnot surprising. Our attitudes toward thenation's schools come principally fromthe news media, and most of this infor-mation is negative. The key for schooldistricts is to communicate the suc-cesses of students to parents — and tonon-parents as well, since they make upabout 70% of voting citizens in mostcommunities.

— Gary GordonGallup Poll, Global PracticeLeader for EducationMay 2004


A 2001 Education Resource Information Center(ERIC) Digest titled Preparing Teachers to Work withParents found that teacher education programs andlocal school districts offer limited educationalopportunities to new teachers on family involvementissues. This, despite proven best practices whichshow that outstanding teachers with National Boardfor Professional Teaching Standards certification orMilken Teaching Award recipients regularlycommunicate with parents and value communicationas an effective tool for working with students.12

Traditional school organization and practices,especially in secondary schools often discouragefamily members from becoming involved. Schoolscan make changes that make them more welcomingand inviting places, less hierarchical and morepersonal. Such institutional changes include creatingschools-within-schools, establishing community orparent centers within schools, using parentleadership programs and ensuring that parents are arespected and valued co-equal in organizationalstructures such as curriculum, course scheduling,assessment, budget committees and that theyparticipate on site-based management councils andschool improvement teams.13

Developing effective partnerships with fami-lies requires that all school staff (administra-tors, teachers and support staff) create aschool environment that welcomes parentsand encourages them to raise questions andvoice their concerns as well as to participateappropriately in decision making.

— Janie E. Funkhouser &Miriam R. Gonzales“Family Involvement in Children’sEducation”

Most Studies Agree on Parent Involvement

Recently there seemed to be one blip on “the-parent-involvement-makes-a-key-differencescreen.”

A new study entitled, Similar Students,Different Results: Why Do Some Schools DoBetter? 32, surveyed 5,500 teachers and 257principals of low-income public schools inCalifornia. Results indicated that other factors,such as experienced teachers and principals,sticking to rigorous content that fits thestate’s assessments, assessing studentstrengths and weaknesses to bolster achieve-ment, and providing the best educationalequipment created the blueprint for studentachievement. Parent and family involvementwas still positively correlated, but below thefactors just mentioned.

No one, we believe, has ever said that parentinvolvement alone will increase student achieve-ment. In fact, the quality of staff and programshas to be in place before parent involvementcan make the well-recognized difference itmakes in schools throughout North America.But just about everyone had said that parentand family can make a huge difference instudent achievement when schools and homesare working together in a collaborative andcompetent approach to education.

And let’s not forget that parent, family andcommunity involvement should also play anintegral role in making sub par schools better.Parents need to hold school leaders account-able so their children have experiencedteachers and principals, rigorous content,helpful assessments to prepare for statetesting and the best educational equipmentand resources available for their children.

That too, is what parent and family involvementis all about.

— Rich Bagin, APRNSPRA Executive Director


What We Know About Effective Family Involvement

ffective family involvement has a positive impact on students, familiesand the schools. The research shows that the most effective forms of

family involvement are those in which parents actively work directly withtheir children in the home on learning activities, such as reading, homeworkor tutoring using materials and instructions provided by teachers. The earliera parent becomes involved, the more powerful the effect on studentachievement. Training and orientation for family members enhances theeffectiveness of parent involvement and the most successful parent

involvement programs are those which recognize the diversity of the school community and offer a variety ofways in which families can participate with a continuum of options.14

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Increasing family participation, thus, is an importantgoal for schools and schools must take the lead inproviding families with the opportunities and supportneeded.15 To be effective in increasing studentachievement, school-family involvement policies mustbe well designed and focused. Family and communityinvolvement that is linked to student learning has agreater effect on achievement than more generalforms of involvement. The form of involvementshould be focused on improving achievement and bedesigned to engage families and students indeveloping specific knowledge and skills.16 Every stateand most districts have a family-involvement law orpolicy. However, in many instances, the policies arenot supported with resources necessary to implementthe policy. Research shows that family-involvementprograms have to be well planned, comprehensive(reaching all families) and long-lasting. Hiring afamily involvement facilitator can be a very cost-effective means of improving implementation of aschool district’s policy.17

Joyce Epstein’s work with family-school partnershipprograms shows that school efforts to engage familiesmake a difference in student achievement. Schoolswith more highly rated partnership programs madesmall but significant gains on writing and math tests,and attendance also improved when compared withschools with lower-rated programs. Epstein and hercolleagues at Johns Hopkins University identify aframework which provides a broader vision ofinvolvement than the traditional PTA activities,booster support and annual parent teacherconference.18 Epstein’s framework describes six types ofactivities that schools use to involve families and

communities: parent-education activities,communication between schools and families,volunteer opportunities, at-home learning activities,decision-making opportunities and communitycollaborations. The more active the involvement andthe more different types of involvement, the higherthe achievement gains.

Type of Involvement / Types of ActivityParenting — Expressing expectations about students’education; limiting TV viewing; supervising time useand behavior; teaching children attitudes, beliefs,customs and social skills; supervising academic work;discussing interests, issues and studies.

Communicating — From school to home aboutprograms, progress, academic achievement includingnotices, memos, phone calls, report cards,conferences, open houses, web sites, e-mail and voicemail. Family-initiated contact about performanceand academic programs; post-secondary plans.

Supporting School — Volunteering and attendingschool activities.

Learning at Home — Interactive homework;information on how families can monitor and assiststudents at home with learning activities; ways tohelp students practice and study for tests; informationabout expectations; academic lessons outside ofschool, music or dance lessons; encouraging college;learning about post-secondary education.


Decision-Making — Participatory roles in parent-teacher-student organizations; school advisorycouncils; committees; school site improvementteams; school advocacy groups.

Collaborating with Community — Usingcommunity learning resources; taking part incommunity groups; communicating parent toparent; establishing connections to increase access tocommunity and support services.

A 2001 Westat study of standards-based reformpractices found that reforms are more likely to have apositive effect on students’ test scores when teacherscommunicate regularly with parents. Effectiveoutreach practices include meeting face to face,sending materials home and keeping in touch aboutprogress. In schools where teachers reported highlevels of outreach to parents, test scores grew at a rate40% higher than in schools where teachers reportedlow levels of outreach.19

Workshops for parents on helping their children athome were linked to higher reading and math scoresin studies by Shaver and Walls. Schools with highlyrated partnership programs make greater gains onstate tests than schools with lower rated programs.Schools that succeed in engaging families from verydiverse backgrounds share three key practices.

1 They focus on building trustingcollaborative relationships amongteachers, families and communitymembers.

2 They recognize, respect and addressfamilies’ needs, as well as class andcultural difference.

3 They embrace a philosophy ofpartnership where power andresponsibility are shared.20

A number of cities and states have been successful increating programs that develop parent leaders andpromote school achievement. Different approacheshave evolved based in large part on how willingschools and districts have been to engage parents.Where the system is open to collaboration with

parents a “Parents as Partners” approach has beensuccessful. The goal of the parents as partnersapproach is to equip parents with skills and contactsto engage other parents; connect schools with thecommunity groups; identify and engage resources forschools; and collaborate with administrators, teachersand other school staff. Kentucky’s CommonwealthInstitute for Parent Leadership (CIPL) follows thistact. The Institute has trained more than 1,100parents in effective school partnership skills. Parentsare taking an active lead in identifying problems andworking together with schools to create solutions. InLouisville, two parents believed that incoming 6th

graders would do better academically if they hadhelp adjusting to the middle school environment.With the help of a school team, they organized a“Transition Night” that included workshops forparents on such subjects as adolescent development,academic standards and school safety. The experiencewas so successful it is now used for each grade.Another program which uses the parents as partnersapproach is Boston’s Parent Leadership Exchangewhich works with parent leaders in three NewEngland states. It offers networking opportunitiesthrough conferences, newsletters, a web site and aforum for sharing best practices. The ConnecticutCommission on Families offers a Leadership TrainingInstitute for parents.

When there is resistance to family or communitycollaboration a “Parent Advocacy” approach hasevolved. Examples include Chicago’s Parents Unitedfor Responsible Education, New York City’s Advocatesfor Children and the New Jersey Education LawCenter. These use training, technical support andsometimes legal action to achieve their goal.

“Parent and Community Organizing” is a politicalapproach adopted when a school or districtadministration is closed and defensive and usuallyschool performance is low. Groups like the BostonParent Organizing Network, Mothers on the Movein the Bronx and the Logan Square NeighborhoodAssociation in Chicago use direct actions, such asdemonstrations, media events and public meetingswith candidates and office holders to focus attentionon their problem.21


There is clear evidence that expanding the school’soutreach beyond families into the community alsohas measurable positive impact in at least fourimportant areas: student learning, familyengagement, school effectiveness and communityvitality.23 Studies find that community organizationcontributes to the following changes in schools:

! Upgraded school facilities.

! Improved school leadership and staffing.

! Higher quality learning programs forstudents.

! New resources and programs to improveteaching and curriculum.

! New funding for after-school programsand family supports.24

Community schools link school and communityresources. As a result, such schools have access toadditional resources, reduce demands on the schoolstaff, provide both academic and non-academiclearning opportunities and build social capital — assetswhich connect students to people and information thatcan help them solve problems and meet their goals.

The extent to which community assets are madeavailable is related to the community’s attitude towards

the school. The more familiar people are with theschool, the more likely they are to view it favorably.According to the 2003 Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup pollon public schools, 26% of Americans give the nationalpublic school system an overall grade of A or B, 48%gave their local school an A or B and 68% of publicschool parents rated the school their oldest childattended an A or B. Gallup concludes that Americanstend to base their perceptions of the state of theeducational system on what they see and hear in themedia, what they personally experience and theexperiences of their peers. Parents have firsthandknowledge of those schools and witness theiraccomplishments on a day-to-day basis through theprogress of their children. Communities are oftenfinancially invested through local tax dollars.Homeowners are further invested in their localcommunity’s schools because real estate investmentsfrequently depend, in part, on the reputation of thelocal schools.25 Communities have a self-interest indeveloping and maintaining good schools.

There are a variety of models for building orincreasing community involvement in schools. Insome cases, the impetus to involve the communitystems from the community itself, responding to whatit perceives as a crisis or failure of the school to meetbasic needs. In other cases, the school reaches out tothe community in an effort to increase resources.

What We Know About Effective Community Involvement

n the United States, schools originally were an integral part of a community,reflecting its political, moral and institutional identity. At the beginning of the

20th century there were about 100,000 local school districts, each of which hiredits teachers and principals and set its own curriculum. After World War II, therelationship of the school to the community began to change, reflecting majordemographic and social changes — increased individual mobility, greater femaleworkplace participation, divorce, fragmentation of traditional ethnicneighborhoods — and functional and organizational shifts. By the end of the1970s, research demonstrated that schools had taken on their own organizationalculture and lost their community-based identity. Sociologists found that publicschool variation in the U.S. was minimal.22 Today the number of school districtsis down to about 16,000. Huge, consolidated school districts deal with apopulation increasingly diverse by language, cultural and ethnic background,

economic status and family composition. As a result, links to the community disappeared. Rebuilding theselinks with the community should be part of an administrator’s public relations program. A school connectedwith its cultural community enjoys school pride, open communication, productivity, cooperation, widespreadinvolvement, sense of cohesiveness and acts of caring and sharing (Barth, 2002; Brandt, 1998).

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Since the late 1980s, communities, parents, schools,activists and other groups have sought to use theschool as a social center to address broadercommunity problems. These have produced anumber of new models of partnership. By mobilizingthe assets of the community to solve barriers tolearning resulting from poverty, changingdemographics and other social changes, theseprograms have not only been successful in raisingacademic achievement, but also in triggering positiveshifts in actions, attitudes, interests, motivations andrelationships of students.26 The programs haveproduced innovations, such as family supportcenters, early childhood and after-school programs,health and mental health services, academic outreachand adult literacy, as well as partnerships withbusiness and civic groups and use of the school forcommunity activities. School, family and communitypartnerships have the most success when partnershipactivities are linked directly with school goals. A1999 study by Sanders and Simon27 examinedschools participating in the National Network ofPartnership Schools. They found that partnershipactivities lead to improvement. (See chart below.)

The partnership must reflect the community andinvolve them in all stages of program development— from selecting the partnership goals todetermining evaluation methods. Families, schoolstaff and community representatives should beselected for their talents, interest and dedication.Flexibility is a key component of success.

A meta-analysis on comprehensive school reform andstudent achievement by Borman, Hewes, Overmanand Brown,28 published in 2002, reviewed allthe known research on the achievement effectsof the most widely implemented, externallydeveloped school improvement programsknown as “whole-school” or “comprehensive”reforms. The U.S. Department of Educationhas established criteria that qualify a program asone serving “comprehensive school reform(CSR).” The criteria include:

! Using proven methods based onscientifically based research andeffective practice that have beenreplicated successfully in schools.

! Providing for the meaningful involvementof parents and the local community inplanning.

! Implementing and evaluating school-improvement activities.

! Employing annual evaluations of studentachievement and implementing of reforms.

! Using external technical support from anentity with experience and expertise inschoolwide reform and improvement.

! Using high-quality and continuousprofessional development for staff andteachers.

The researchers looked at 29 of the most widelyimplemented CSR models and found that the threemodels meeting the highest standard of evidence havebeen shown to be effective in improving studentachievement across reasonably diverse contexts. Theseprograms are Direct Instruction, SchoolDevelopment Program and Success for All. TheSchool Development Program established by JamesComer stresses the impact of the community ineducation. Success for All uses a family support teamconcept and one-on-one tutoring. Direct Instructionuses highly interactive lessons presented to smallgroups of students. Nine other programs were foundto be highly promising or promising, while 14 wereconsidered needing additional research.

ImproveStudent

AchievementImprove

AttendanceImproveBehavior

Elementary Schools% using partnership activities

% reporting improvement9779

7570

8471

9380

8261

9168

10085

9658

9674

Middle Schools% using partnership activities

% reporting improvement

High Schools% using partnership activities

% reporting improvement


Most families and community groups do not have theneeded information or the training to be effectiveschool partners. Lack of understanding of schoolpolicies and procedures fosters misperceptions anddistrust. Interpreting school performance datacorrectly can be difficult. The school must educatenot only its students and their families, but thecommunity as well. Information must be clear andeasily understandable, in the languages that thecommunity uses. It must be timely. Newsletters,handouts, e-mails, press releases, web sites,neighborhood forums, phone calls, listservs, homevisits and meetings are only some of the great varietyof methods which can be successfully used to getinformation out. Because no single means will reacheveryone, multiple ways need to be used to ensure thegreatest possible dissemination.

Training for parents and school staff is anotherimportant element in building trust and effectiveness.While parents want to play an important role in theirchildren’s education, they often don’t know how they canbest help their child. Workshops, family nights,instructional information and reference materials whichprovide knowledge on a range of topics — such as childsafety, parenting skills, academic support services,conflict management, child development, standardizedtesting, curriculum, homework and school programs —are valued by parents. Leadership training for parents —such as the Kentucky CIPL program — tends to shiftthe balance of power to a more equal footing, helpingparents become more effective advocates for their ownand other children. In-school parent/family centers —

where families or community members can easilyinteract with school personnel — facilitate training andfrequent communication. These centers generally makethe school seem more open and inviting to thecommunity and have been used very effectivelythroughout the nation. School personnel also needtraining on how to effectively work with parents,mentors and community members. This is especiallytrue when the cultural/linguistic/ethnic/class make up ofschool personnel does not mimic that of the studentbody. Establishing a sense of trust must be a priority.Direct personal communication can build betterunderstanding and a shared sense of purpose. However,in many instances, and particularly beyond theelementary level, the only direct communication aparent has with a teacher is negative. Schools thatenforce policies which require teachers to regularlyengage all families have improved student achievement.Positive feedback when a child is doing well creates asense of goodwill between parents and schools which canbe very beneficial when problems arise.

The greater the community ties, the more resourcesbecome available to the school. School districts,community organizations, public agencies, localcolleges and universities, state education agencies, thelocal business community and foundations are allpotential sources of funds, expertise and assistance. Aspublic entities, schools must provide value to thecommunity in order to maintain public support.Communities which understand what is happening intheir schools and support it value their school morehighly than communities which do not believe the

Action Plan

ommunication is the foundation of effective partnerships. To build effectivepartnerships with families and the community that will enhance student

achievement, schools must first talk to — and listen to — parents, communitygroups, business leaders and others with a stake in student learning. Any strategymust accommodate the diverse language, cultural needs, lifestyles and schedules ofall parties. This means the school often must take the initiative in reaching out toits community and parents. Successful partnerships require sustained mutualcollaboration and support — from school staffs and from families at home, atschool and in the community. It requires a school environment that welcomes itspartners and encourages them to raise questions and voice their concerns, as wellas to participate appropriately in decision-making. “Once community membersare given meaningful involvement, a sense of ownership and pride develops. Thisleads to new innovations, contributions and support — which leads to success andmore success.”29

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school is doing a good job. Some schools have hadsuccess with Community Days, which help bringcommunity members and the school staff together insupport of shared educational goals. Families andcommunity members join teachers and school staff inteam-building activities, discussing and settingeducational goals and devising strategies foraccomplishing the goals. Other schools have usedCommunity Walks to introduce teachers to localneighborhoods and help them better understand thelives of their students outside of school.

Creating a partnership and nurturing it takes time andcommitment by all stakeholders. Each community isunique and success rarely comes easily. Build on whatworks well locally. Begin the partnership by identifyingthe community’s goals for its students in consultationwith families, students, residents, educators andcommunity partners. Focus on the strengths, interestsand needs of each to help design, implement andevaluate activities that will achieve the goals. Goalsetting should be concrete, with verifiable results andtimelines. School staff, parents, community leaders andpartner agencies and organizations should use availabledata to determine which conditions for learning are inplace, the changes that need to be made and theexpectations that may reasonably be set.30 There mustbe flexibility to adapt or drop programs or activitieswhich are not succeeding or when conditions change.Ongoing assessment of effectiveness is a criticalelement of any partnership plan. Modifications overtime help a school to build on its success.

Establish a written formal school policy on familyand community involvement. This must be done incollaboration with the families, businesses,foundations and community groups you intend toengage. A school district should develop publicrelations strategies to inform families, businesses andthe community about involvement programs andpolicies. It is critical that the strategies recognize theimportance of a community’s historical, ethnic,linguistic and cultural resources. An effective publicrelations program promotes planned, ongoing, two-way communication between the school and itscommunity. It helps build an honest relationshipbetween the school and its stakeholders that results inbetter educational programs and experiences forlearners. “Genuine public relations are a continuousprocess that involves an effort to understand the

concerns of relevant populations (student, parents,teachers, staff, taxpayers and so on) and to respond tothose concerns in a meaningful way.”31

Allocate adequate resources to carry out the policy.The scope of involvement will dictate whetheradditional financial resources are needed and wherethey may be found through reprogramming,identifying new sources — such as district or stateeducation funds, public agencies, foundations, Title I,other federal government funds and local businesses.Resources needed may include a dedicated space forfamily use, additional social or health services,telephones for teachers, computer training sessions,stipends for teachers for training or outreach, and acommunity/parent coordinator. Continuity offunding is an important factor so identifying streamsof funding is important.

Define outcomes. Specify what it is you hope toachieve and over what period. These should beverifiable and achievable.

Plan your communication. Look at the various parentsegments in your schools, seek their input on the bestways to reach them and then do it. Remember that onecommunication technique rarely is a “silver bullet” forreaching most parents. You may be able to write thesame messages but some will prefer e-mail or a listserv,while others prefer the “backpack method” or deliverythrough their churches or community and socialcenters. It will take time, but you need to assess whatworks best for your community and your school.

Establish assessment and evaluation procedures.Ask parents how communication is working. How canyou improve it? How will you assess progress?Attendance at parent meetings, rising test scores,better student attendance and feedback from teachersthat parents are more involved are all factors ofincreased and effective communication.

Effective communication today needs thecommitment of all levels of school staff as well as acore group of parents to remind the schools of theneed for more and better communication.Collaboration makes the home-school connectioneffective. And effective communication increasesparent and family participation which has proven,study after study, to increase student achievement —our ultimate goal.


1 Rowicki, Mark A., Running Head: CommunicationSkills for Educational Administrators, EducationalManagement, Alabama, 1999.

2 Fulbright, Luann and Goodman, Richard H., TenThings Superintendents Can Do to Create andMaintain an Effective School Governance Team, ERSSpectrum, Vol. 17 No. 4, pp. 3-13, Fall 1999.

3 Henderson, Anne T. and Mapp, Karen, A New Wave ofEvidence: The Impact of School, Family, and CommunityConnections on Student Achievement, SouthwestEducation Development Lab, Austin, TX, 2002.

4 Coalition of Evidenced Based Policy, EducationalPractices Supported by Rigorous Evidence: A UserFriendly Guide, U.S. Department of Education,Institute of Education Science, National Center forEducational Evaluation and Regional Assistance,Washington, DC 2003.

5 Henderson, Anne T. and Mapp, Karen, op. cit. 6 Marzano, Robert J., What Works in Schools:

Translating Research into Action, Association forSupervision and Curriculum Development,Alexandria, VA, 2003.

7 Davies, Don, The 10 th School Revisited: AreSchool/Family/Community Partnerships on the ReformAgenda Now?, Phi Delta Kappan, Vol. 83 No. 5, pp.388-92, January 2002.

8 Lopez, M. Elena; Kreider, Holly; and Caspe,Margaret, Co-constructing Family Involvement, TheEvaluation Exchange, Harvard Family ResearchProject, Vol. X No. 4, Winter 2004-2005.

9 Cotton, Kathleen and Wikelund, Karen Reed, ParentInvolvement in Education, School ImprovementResearch Series, Northwest Regional EducationalLaboratory, Portland, OR, May 1989.

10 Norton, M. Scott and Nufeld, Jean C., Journal ofSchool Public Relations, Vol. 23 No. 1, pp. 45-58,Winter 2002.

11 Hoover-Dempsey, Kathleen V.; Walker, Joan M.;Jones, Kathleen P.; and Reed, Richard P., TeachersInvolving Parents: An in-service teacher education pro-gram for enhancing parental involvement, Teaching andTeacher Education, Vol. 18 No. 7, pp. 843-67,October 2002.

12 Hiatt-Michael, Diana, Preparing Teachers to Work withParents, Eric Digest, ERIC Clearinghouse on Teachingand Teacher Education, Washington, DC, 2001.

13 Funkhouser, Janie E. and Gonzales, Miriam R.,Family Involvement in Children’s Education: SuccessfulLocal Approaches, An Idea Book, Office of EducationResearch and Improvement, U.S. Department ofEducation, Washington, DC, June 2001.

14 Cotton and Wikelund, op. cit.15 Funkhouser and Gonzalex, op. cit.16 Henderson, Anne T. and Mapp, Karen L, op. cit.17 Jones, Rebecca, How Parents Can Support Learning,

American School Board Journal, pp. 18-37,September 2001.

18 Drake, Daniel D., Parents and Families as Partners inthe Education Process: Collaboration for the Success ofStudents in Public Schools, Educational ResearchService, ERS Spectrum, Spring 2000.

19 Henderson and Mapp, op. cit.20 Henderson and Mapp, op. cit.21 Henderson, Anne; Jacob, Bonnie; Kernan-Scholss,

Adam; and Raimondo, Bev, The Case for ParentLeadership, Prichard Committee for AcademicExcellence, KSA, January 2004.

22 Davis, Patricia W. and Karr-Kidwell, JP, SchoolLeaders and Community: Research and a Plan forCollaboration, Texas Woman’s University, 2003.

23 Blank, Marvin, J.; Melaville, Atelia; and Shah, BelaP., Making the Difference: Research and Practice inCommunity Schools, Coalition for CommunitySchools, May 2003.

24 Henderson and Mapp, op. cit.25 Lyons, Linda, Americans Stay True to Their Local

Schools, Gallup Reports, September 9, 2003.26 Henderson and Mapp, op. cit.27 Sanders, M.G. and Simon, B. Progress and Challenges:

Comparing elementary, middle and high schools in theNational Network of Partnership Schools, Paper pre-sented at the annual conference of the AmericanEducational Research Association, Montreal, Quebec,Canada, April 19-23, 1999.

28 Borman, Geoffrey D.; Hewes, Gina M.; Overman,Laura T.; and Brown, Shelly, Comprehensive SchoolReform and Student Achievement: A Meta-Analysis,Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 2002.

29 Miller, M.S. and Hart, C. A., Bridging the Gap,Thrust for Educational Leadership, Vol. 28 No. 1,pp. 22-25, September-October 1998.

30 Blank, Melaville and Shah, op. cit.31 Martinson, D., School Public Relations: Do It Right Or

Don’t Do It At All!, Contemporary Education, Vol. 66No. 2, 1995.

32 Williams, T., Kirst, M., Haertel, E., et al. SimilarStudents, Different Results: Why Do Some Schools DoBetter? A large-scale survey of California elementaryschools serving low-income students. Mountain View,CA: EdSource, 2005.

End Notes

Section TwoWhere to Go from Here



Ideas on Getting Started

school district should develop public relations strategies to informfamilies, business and the community about involvement programs

and policies. It is critical that the strategies recognize the importance of acommunity’s historical, ethnic, linguistic and cultural resources. Aneffective public relations program promotes planned, ongoing, two-waycommunication between the school and its community. It helps build anhonest relationship between the school and its stakeholders that results inbetter educational programs and experiences for learners.

A

NSPRA, the leader in school public relations sinceits founding in 1935, defines school public relationsthis way:

Educational public relations is a planned,systematic management function, designed to helpimprove the programs and services of aneducational organization. It relies on acomprehensive, two-way communication processinvolving both internal and external publics withthe goal of stimulating better understanding of therole, objectives, accomplishments, and needs of theorganization. Educational public relationsprograms assist in interpreting public attitudes,identify and help shape policies and procedures inthe public interest, and carry on involvement andinformation activities which earn public supportand understanding.

Start with policy. Review or create policy on familyand community engagement. It is critical that youcollaborate with the families, foundations, businessesand community groups you intend to engage.

! Identify and target leaders representingall stakeholders, keeping in mind thatspecific outreach efforts may be neededto reach certain groups in the studentpopulation which are usually under-represented in normal school activities.

! Survey groups about outcomes they wantand how they perceive the status quo.This should include focus groups,telephone and written surveys andcommunity and neighborhood meetings.

! Make relevant test data and other academicinformation readily available includinginstruction on how to interpret the data.

! Check out other school districts’ policiesfor effective practices as well as resourcesfrom NSPRA.

! Establish an on-going dialog with thecommunity, instituting regular, two-waycommunication through a variety ofmethods.

! Include family and community membersin school-based management teams,improvement planning and schoolgovernance.

! Publicize the policy widely. Make sureevery family is aware of the policy.

! Establish a schedule for review andrevision.

! Implement the policy fully, with full andcontinued support from all levels.

Identify barriers to increased communityinvolvement (time constraints, child care, language,transportation, cultural beliefs, lack of understanding,discrimination or exclusion) and identify communityfoundations and governmental sources of funding toaddress the barriers.

! Specify training programs for teachers,parents, administrators and communitymembers to improve the quality and typeof interaction. (NSPRA resources canhelp here.)


! Examine possible infrastructureconstraints including health and safetyconcerns.

! Develop and implement a cohesivecommunication program to ensure thatthe family and the community at large isinformed and kept up to date on schoolactivities, achievement indicators andpolicies.

! Examine ways to increase the interactionbetween the school and the community.These can include instituting a mentoringprogram, opening the school to greatercommunity use as a venue, holding aweekend or evening public informationfair, having a community/studentexchange day, having a meet and greetprogram, hosting leadership classes orserving as a site for community healthand other social services.

! Look for ways families and communitiescan be involved either at home or in thework place.

Define where you want to be. Specify what it isyou hope to achieve, over what period and how youplan to achieve it. These should be verifiable andachievable. If the goal is an increase in standardizedtest scores, specify what increases in what subjects bywhich groups over what period of time. What are themeans to achieve it — more instruction time,smaller class size, more teacher training, greater useof parent/community mentors or volunteers, after-school tutoring, different curriculum?

You can’t do much without money. According toNSPRA membership surveys, less than one-tenth ofone percent (0.01%) of a school district’s operatingbudget is spent on communication. More of acommitment is needed. Check for any federal orstate grants your school district has received to see ifbudget allowances are given for communication/dissemination. Seek funds from your operatingbudget now that you can prove that communicationleads to involvement and greater studentachievement.

And finally, seek budget assistance from parentgroups or local corporations to help you in gatheringresources for your critical communication effort.

Don’t forget about assessment. Determine how youwill assess your progress.

! Develop ways to regularly gather andreport data on the effectiveness of thepolicy. Use multiple indicators toevaluate the program.

! Use a variety of means and sources toavoid subjective bias. Qualitativeevaluations should come from all sectorsof the community.

! A multi-year time frame is more realisticfor capturing systemic change, butevaluation and data gathering overshorter time periods allow for assessmentand revisions as needed.

! Use independent, external evaluation.

More resources also are available from the NSPRA.Visit www.NSPRA.org for information on monthlynewsletters, e-newsletters, publications, educationalprogramming, networking and more.

There is a place in America to take astand: it is public education. It is theunderpinning of our cultural and politicalsystem. It is the great common ground.Public education after all is the enginethat moves us as a society toward acommon destiny... It is in public educationthat the American dream begins to takeshape.

— Tom Brokaw


New Standards for the School Public Relations Profession

Every school, school district and organization has public relations— just like everyone has a personality.

If the organization understands and tries to practice school PR asthe NSPRA defines it, chances are that the organization will fos-ter productive relationships and effective communication with itsemployees, students, parents and the broader community as well.

If the organization has no planned public relations, then chances ofhaving effective communication and positive relationships with key audiences will be pretty much hit or miss— with a stronger emphasis on the “miss.”

In Raising the Bar for School PR, NSPRA sets forthsome standards for:

! the preparation of school public relationsprofessionals.

! comprehensive school public relationsprograms.

! the financial support needed toimplement good programs.

We recommend this publication to every school boardmember, superintendent, chief executive officer, andany individual who may have responsibilities foreducation communication and public relations. Itoutlines what school public relations professionalsbelieve and have successfully implemented inhundreds of school districts in the United States andCanada: It is possible for schools and districts to havegood public relations! Make the commitment andlook inside.

Standards for Educational Public Relationsand Communication ProfessionalsA skilled school public relations professional performsessential communication functions to help improve theprograms and services of an educational organization.While qualifications can vary depending on thesophistication of the work required, all practitionersshould meet certain minimum standards.

General Standards! An understanding of and commitment to

the role and social responsibility ofpublic relations and communication forall educational institutions,organizations, and agencies in ademocratic society.

! A commitment to improving educationalopportunities for all.

! A commitment to professionalperformance and ethical behavior asdescribed in the NSPRA’s Ethics forEducational Public Relations.

Professional Preparation! A bachelor’s degree from an accredited

university or — for department leaders— experience in the field is a minimumrequirement.

Abilities and Aptitudes! A comprehensive working knowledge of

internal and external public relations andcommunication programs for aneducational organization.

! A mastery of communication skills.

! An understanding of the importance oftwo-way communication between anorganization’s staff and its many publics andaudiences, and the ability to carry it out.


! A thorough knowledge andunderstanding of communication theoryand research.

! An ability to provide expertise and adviceto top management.

Professional Growth and DevelopmentStandards for professional growth and developmentrequire that educational public relations andcommunication professionals continue to refine theirskills and expand their knowledge by:

! Maintaining membership andparticipation in the NSPRA and otherprofessional public relations associationsand societies.

! Pursuing professional accreditation.

! Participating in public relations seminars,conferences, workshops and institutes.

! Pursuing additional study beyond abachelor’s degree.

! Reading, researching, writing, speakingand consulting in education, publicrelations and communication.

Educational Public Relations Program Assessment PurposeNSPRA’s Educational Public Relations ProgramAssessment enables governing board members,superintendents, chief executive officers and publicrelations practitioners to work toward achievingcriteria that the Association believes are components ofa comprehensive school district public relationsprogram.

These criteria apply district- or system-wide, involv-ing not just the formal public relations program, butthe way in which every school and central office unitinteracts with employees, students, parents, newsmedia, elected officials and the community at large.

CriteriaThe following NSPRA-developed criteria should beevident in any organization that is working todevelop and achieve a strategic and comprehensivepublic relations program.

Governing Board — The governing board of theorganization understands and models its policy-setting responsibilities on actions that are in the bestinterests of students and their learning.

! The board has adopted and ensuresperiodic review of a mission, goals andobjectives that have been developed withstakeholder involvement.

! The board has a code of conduct thatincludes modeling respect, civility andintegrity.

! Board members work with thesuperintendent and staff in relationshipsthat are built on mutual trust and respect.

! The board understands and practices itsrole of setting clear policy direction andhelps build a culture that supports thestaff in its role in implementing andadministering those policies.

! The board seeks input from organizationstakeholders before developing policyand clearly communicates its actions andthe reasons for them.

Communication Policy — The governing board ofthe organization has adopted written policies toguide its communication/public relations efforts.They include:

! A policy that commits the organizationto providing comprehensivecommunication/public relations in anopen and honest way that meets theneeds and desires of all internal andexternal publics.

! A policy regarding the release ofinformation about individual staff,students or clients.


! A policy that describes publicinvolvement in the organization’sdecision-making.

! A policy that enables employees, parentsand others to appeal policy oradministrative decisions.

! Policies that require the organization tolearn what employees and patrons wantto know and to provide that informationin various ways.

! A community involvement policy thatencourages interested citizens to reviewthe district’s mission, goals, andobjectives, and to become educatedabout and offer opinions on issues thatmay require action in the future.

Communication Procedures — The organizationhas written procedures to implement the governingboard’s policies and to provide clear direction forvarious staff roles in public relations.

! Procedures are in place that outlinevarious communication responsibilities incrisis situations.

! Procedures clarify a policy of opennessand honesty in interacting with the newsmedia. Job descriptions clarify staffresponsibilities in communicating withand through the news media.

! Procedures exist describing formal andinformal methods of communicatingwith organization employees.

! Procedures are in place describing formaland informal methods of communicatingwith parents and the broader community.

! Procedures have been developeddescribing how the organization will seekthe views of employees and patrons on aregular basis.

Organizational Positioning — The director of thepublic relations effort is a member of the superinten-dent/ chief executive officer’s cabinet and is directlyaccountable to the superintendent/chief executive officer.

! The person with public relationsresponsibilities is involved with thestrategic management processes of theorganization.

! The strategic management processincludes communication programs forinteracting with key publics, especiallythose who might be affected by adecision.

! The person with public relationsresponsibilities provides leadership for anissues management process to ensure thatpotential problems and issues areidentified and dealt with in a strategicfashion.

! The budget for communication/publicrelations is sufficient to achieve programgoals.

! The public relations leader ensures thateducators and the community are awareof trends and other forces that mayimpact the school system, students andthe community at large.

Professional Preparation — The public relationseffort is headed by a strategic leader, rather than atechnician or an administrative manager.

! The director of the public relations effortis accredited in public relations by theUniversal Accreditation Board (UAB).

! All public relations staff are appropriatelytrained for their responsibilities.

! The director and other staff are membersof the NSPRA and an NSPRA chapter(if one serves their area).

! They regularly attend NSPRA seminars,workshops and other professionaldevelopment opportunities.

! Members of the organization’s governingboard and its executive leadershipdemonstrate an understanding of thebasic principles of good communication.


Counseling and Training — The job description forthe person with public relations responsibilitiesincludes counseling the governing board, thesuperintendent/chief executive officer, and otheradministrators and staff in public relations strategies.

! Regular opportunities are provided foradministrators to obtain training ineffective public relations practices,including interaction with the newsmedia.

! Regular opportunities are provided forteachers and other staff to becomeeffective public relations ambassadors forthe organization and to deal withstudents, parents and others in ways thatpromote their involvement,understanding and cooperation.

Research — Before major communication/publicrelations efforts are initiated, staff determinesrelevant factors relating to the demography andopinions of the community and its variouscomponents.

! The organization’s goal setting is basedon research and direct involvement withstakeholders to determine theireducational priorities.

! The organization’s public relations/communication efforts are research based(i.e., its planning and strategies are basedon research that indicates variousaudiences’ perceptions, desires, interests,opinions and needs for information andinvolvement.)

! The organization regularly elicits bothquantitative and qualitative informationthrough means such as formal andinformal surveys, advisory councils, andfocus groups that involve both internaland external publics.

Planning — The public relations/communicationefforts are planned on a systematic (often annual)basis to support the achievement of the organization’sgoals and objectives.

! The plan has the approval of thesuperintendent/chief executive officer.

! The plan focuses on meeting the goals ofthe organization and ultimatelyimproving education and, to the extentpossible, enhancing student achievement.

! The plan identifies the needs of targetpublics and uses research data to identifykey messages and strategies for deliveringthose messages.

! Communication plans for specificprogram changes or initiatives aredeveloped in conjunction with the staffresponsible for them.

! Communication plans identify thevarious publics who will be affected andthe strategies for reaching them.

! To the extent possible, communicationplans include measurable goals forbehavior change or accomplishment,deadlines, responsibilities, resources, andstrategies.

! Plans are reviewed regularly to ensurethat communication efforts remainrelevant, are on schedule and are adjustedwhenever necessary to reach plannedgoals or to deal with emerging needs andopportunities.

Communicating — A variety of channels that arebased on research and planning and are appropriateto the communication goals are employed incommunicating with all publics.

! Communication by the organization andits units is planned and includesopportunities for target publics to obtainfurther information or to respond.

! All communication is timely, meets theneeds of the target publics, and useslanguage and formats that areappropriate for particular audiences.


! The language, format and generalpresentation of all efforts are planned sothat they communicate successfully.

Employees — The organization has procedures andstrategies that stimulate regular, two-way communi-cation with all employees. Those procedures andstrategies might include:

! A regularly scheduled communicationvehicle from the organization thatprovides information employees need tobe well-informed and to do their jobseffectively.

! A communication vehicle might beprinted or electronic or be a combinationof these possibilities, but the distributionsystem ensures that it is convenientlyavailable to every employee.

! New programs or initiatives are plannedwith staff input and are communicatedin appropriate ways to each employeegroup.

! E-mail, voicemail, intranet, or otherelectronic systems that facilitatecommunication with and amongemployees, accompanied by proceduresfor the appropriate use of the systems.

! A crisis plan for the district and for eachunit that is up-to-date, comprehensive,and available to the employees who needit. It states responsibilities for all staffduring a crisis, including communication.

! A systematic and ongoing program thatrecognizes the efforts of individual staffand organization units and thanks themfor their contributions.

! An up-to-date manual of district policiesand procedures that is convenientlyavailable to all employees.

! A directory — available to all employees— which contains the organizationalstructure; names, titles, and telephonenumbers of personnel in each unit; andhow to access needed services.

! A variety of vertical and horizontal two-way communication opportunitieswithin the organization structure.

! Regular meetings of employees withsupervisors where a spirit of opennessencourages questions and suggestions forimproving education and/or dealing withother work-related issues.

! Orientations that acquaint employees withthe organization’s goals, structure andculture; their specific job responsibilities;and their public relations roles.

! Systematic (generally annual) plans foreach unit of the organization, spellingout strategies for communicating withemployees and with the organization’smany constituents.

! Regular opportunities for employees withsimilar responsibilities to meet anddiscuss issues of common interest.

! Regular training for various employeegroups addressing their public relationsroles in the organization and within thecommunity.

! Regular (perhaps quarterly) meetings ofthe superintendent/chief executive officerwith representatives from variousorganization units to discuss matters ofmutual interest.

! Formal and informal methods for askingemployees, at least annually, to evaluatethe organization and its units on theavailability, relevance, and responsivenessof communication efforts.

Students — The organization has policies andprocedures that encourage sound communication withstudents and encourage their involvement in theirschool. These procedures and policies might include:

! Student handbooks, focused on each schoolor each level, that are distributed to andreviewed with every student to help themunderstand school rules as well as academic,behavioral and other expectations.


! Involvement of students in ways that willmake it possible for them to contributeto the organization’s strategic goals andinitiatives.

! Information that is communicated tostudents and their parents or guardiansabout safe practices in getting to andfrom school.

! A safe, welcoming learning climate withstaff who encourage students in bothacademic and extracurricular activities.

! A principal and teachers whocommunicate regularly with studentsabout the school environment and issuesof concern to both students and staff.Whenever possible, reasons for schoolpolicies and procedures are explained tostudents.

! A student government organization ineach school that encourages students tobecome appropriately involved indecision-making about issues thatconcern them.

Parents — The organization has policies andprocedures that encourage regular, two-waycommunication and help to develop appropriatemutual expectations between parents and their schools.

! Each school has a handbook, distributedto each student/parent, that describesdistrict and school rules, and ways thatparents can work with the school toimprove their child’s education.

! Parents are involved with the staff inestablishing school goals, and these arecommunicated regularly.

! A regular school communication vehicleor vehicles exist to communicateimportant events, dates, and news aboutthe school, staff, and studentaccomplishments. It is transmitted usingmethods to ensure that it will be receivedby parents. District news of importance

to parents is communicated to the schoolso that it can be easily incorporated intothis parent communication. The school’sparent organization contributes to andassists with school-to-parentcommunication.

! Regular opportunities are provided forthe principal and teachers to meet face toface with parents.

! Any major change in school rules,procedures or educational programs isdiscussed at an early stage with interestedparents.

! Interested parents help contribute to thedecision, and the decision and thereasons for it are communicated clearlyand promptly to all parents.

! All communication and interaction withparents is based on mutual respect andan attitude of true partnership in theirchildren’s education.

! Parents and others in the community areencouraged to volunteer at the school inways that are important for students.There is a handbook of guidelines forvolunteers and for school staff, andschools regularly recognize thecontributions of volunteers.

! Teachers and parents receive guidelinesfor holding productive parent-teacherconferences. Conference times areflexible to meet parents’ needs andschedules.

! School staff are accessible to respond toparents’ questions, inquiries or ideas.

! In schools where parents are not fluent inEnglish, special efforts are made tocommunicate with them and to seektheir involvement in school affairs.

! A parent-complaint procedure exists tofacilitate the resolution of problems atthe lowest possible level.


! Parents are encouraged to serve and haveleadership roles on school and district-wide committees that study and proposesolutions to identified problems.

! In addition to regular report cards, teachersare encouraged to communicate regularlywith parents about each student’seducational progress. A well-established,effective procedure exists for comm-unicating and resolving concerns about astudent’s behavior or education progress.

! The school gives support andencouragement to related parent andcommunity organizations.

! Parents are invited annually to evaluatethe school climate, program andcommunication efforts.

! A district that must seek public supportfor referenda, bond or millage issues,works closely with parent leaders onelection efforts.

Community — The district has regular, two-waycommunication with various segments of thecommunity.

! School and district administrators areencouraged to belong to and participateactively in civic and service organizations.

! The superintendent/chief executiveofficer maintains regular, two-waycommunication with business, civic andreligious leaders, and other influentialmembers of the community.

! A key communicator program facilitatesregular communication with its membersand invites them to contact theorganization for information or to alert itto misinformation and rumors.

! Community members are regularlysought to serve on school districtadvisory committees.

! The district uses multiple channels of

communication to reach citizens who donot have children in the schools.Opportunities are provided for citizens toask questions or seek furtherinformation.

! The person with public relationsresponsibilities is accessible to and visibleto the community.

! The organization has an Internet web sitethat is well constructed and user-friendly;contains timely information of use tostaff, parents and community members;and helps to recruit future employees andparents/students for the district.

! The district makes regular efforts tocommunicate with citizens of variouscultures who are not fluent in English inways that seek their involvement, inputand support.

! The organization seeks partnerships withlocal businesses that provide mentors andother assistance to students and theirschools.

! Community views and opinions aresought in periodic public opinionsurveys.

News Media — The organization has policies andprocedures that promote good communication withthe news media, responsiveness by school officialsand honesty and openness in providing informationto reporters.

! Personnel in the public relations officehave a complete list of local and regionalnews media outlets and reporters andmake information about the organizationavailable to the news media on a regularbasis.

! District policies and procedures supportresponding to news media inquiries in atimely fashion, designation of aspokesperson or spokespersons (such asduring a crisis), confidentiality as well as


the public release of information,publication of student names andphotographs, and notification of allpublic meetings and events.

! Personnel in the public relations officeconduct periodic inservice training forstaff in news media relationships,including forums with reporters.

! The staff alerts the news media promptlyin the event of any crisis or othernewsworthy situation.

! The superintendent/chief executiveofficer and the director of publicrelations/communication periodicallymeet with newspaper and other newsmedia editorial boards to alert them tothe background and the organization’sposition on issues that have the potentialto become controversial.

Elected Officials — The organization recognizes thepolitical leadership exercised by elected officials andmakes regular efforts to communicate with them.

! The superintendent/chief executiveofficer maintains regular, two-waycommunication with elected officials.

! The organization communicates regularlywith local and regional governments andtheir officials, especially when aneducational issue is likely to have aneffect on their scope of responsibilities.

! The organization communicates regularlywith state legislators and the stateeducation agency to ensure that theseofficials are well informed about thedistrict, its goals and objectives, and anyissues that may arise before these groups.

Evaluation — Every major communication effort isevaluated to determine whether planned goals weremet and objectives achieved.

! The organization and each of its unitsengage in both formal and informalevaluations of its communicationpractices and the levels of satisfactionwith its performance.

! Overall personnel evaluations of districtadministrators and staff include acomponent addressing the need foreffective internal and externalcommunication practices and the levelsof satisfaction with their performance.Job descriptions and regularly developedgoals and objectives also include a focuson communication responsibilities.

! Whenever possible, evaluation methodsare built in to each element of theorganization’s annual communicationplan. These evaluations are used tocreate, modify, or discontinue practicesor projects.

! Each of the organization’s regularcommunication channels and vehicles isevaluated at least every two years todetermine its relevance, interest andability to communicate importantinformation.


Standards for Educational Public Relationsand Communication Program BudgetsThe public relations and communication budget forstaffing, services, and programs will vary accordingto an organization’s size, needs, and availability ofresources. Budgets can be based on a fixed percent-age of the total organization’s budget or allocationscan be based on projects planned for the year.

Resources can be allocated to a single department, beincluded in the budgets of several departments, or bea combination of the two approaches. However, inevery situation, the individual directing the publicrelations efforts should be involved in the prepara-tion of the communication program budget. Tooperate a solid communication program provisionsshould be made for the following:

! salaries and benefits.

! internal support/professional and clericalassistance, as-needed external assistance,support and counsel, as needed.

! ongoing professional developmentopportunities for the public relationsstaff and professional development incommunication for district staff andother key publics.

! office materials and supplies.

! equipment — telephone with voice mailor answering machine; office furniture,file cabinets, computer with desktoppublishing and word processing software,fax machine, scanner, laser printer,35-mm camera and digital camera, CDburner, copy machine (or immediateaccess to one), etc.

! Internet access with e-mail.

! contracted technical services or in-housestaffing and equipment, where appropriate(printing, advertising, video taping,graphic design, crisis communication, webpage, research, etc.).

! subscriptions to professionalpublications, newspapers, media guides.

! professional growth and development,including membership fees toprofessional organizations, conferencefees, travel, meals and other reasonableexpenses.

! research and evaluation.

! publications — printing, design,photography, postage.

! operating expenses/equipment repairs.

! community relations — membership andparticipation in identified community/civic organizations.

! special events, publications; or othercommunication efforts that will not beincluded in other departments’ budgets.

To be successful, schools must create theconditions that make good development andlearning possible: positive and powerful socialand academic interactions between studentsand staff. When this happens, students gainsocial and academic competence, confidence,and comfort. Also, when parents and theirsocial networks value school success andschool experiences are positive and powerful,students are likely to acquire an internaldesire to be successful in school and in life,and to gain and express the skills andbehavior necessary to do so.

-- James P. Comer M.D.“Schools That Develop Children,”The American ProspectVol. 12 No. 7, April 23, 2001


Confront Bogus LabelsSupport for school communication programming isjust one potential victim. Too easily, bad things happento good kids and programs when budget decisions getmade in the “fog” of such manufactured conflict.

Despite the oft-repeated talking points of a few tothe contrary, the overwhelming majority of ourteachers come to school every day eager to teach andcommitted to helping their students learn. Schoolsfind ways to open their doors and teach our childrenday after day, despite razor-thin staffing ratios thatleave teachers in crowded classrooms andadministrators overburdened with a seeminglyinfinite list of vital but competing priorities.

Even with these challenges, educators — from noviceteachers to veteran superintendents — continue todedicate their lives and commit their passions tohelping students succeed. Thanks to their unfalteringeffort, lives are enriched and communities prosper.

Invest for the Long TermIn many ways the system seems designed to pit forcesof good against other forces of good. And that’s toobad. No one wins in this war of attrition. And lost toooften on both participants and pundits are thedevastating results on the children that our schools werecreated to serve. The pattern is relentless — designed towear down even the heartiest champions. Year afteryear, needs rise while funding falls. Competing tensionsrun the gauntlet annually to try to survive another fiscalyear. Investments for the long haul give way to fixes foronly the most pressing, immediate needs.

But if any endeavor demands a solemn commitmentto investing for long-term success, it must be theeducation of our children.

Make the Right ChoicesIf we fail to confront it, the system makes it far tooeasy for school decision-makers to sidestep theoverwhelming evidence that students do better insystems that enjoy the benefits of planned and ongoingcommunication. Students enjoy greater success inschools with strong parental involvement, enthusiasticcommunity support, vigorous partnerships, steadyenrollments and stable finances. But like classroomteaching, school communication is a tough business.It takes research and planning, professional direction,administrative support, unrelenting execution dayafter day and so much more. Sometimes it will fail.More often it will succeed. But in the end, successfulcommunication programs provide the means to bothdeliver and nourish the rich environment that schoolsand teachers need to effectively transact the businessof helping kids succeed.

Advocate for School PRThe next time a budget ax takes a swing at schoolcommunication in your schools, make sure thosedecision-makers know exactly what is at stake.

When schools reach out and engage parents andcommunities, great things happen. Studentperformance and attendance rise. Communities andschools strengthen each other. And when schools failto communicate, they place all students at risk.

Source: Edward Moore, APR NSPRA Associate Director

A Final Lesson: Schools that Fail to Communicate Put All Students at Risk

unditry is great work if you can get it. Take the issue of schoolaccountability, for instance. With emotional rhetoric focusing on a

few scores and trends, far too many politicians, media and activists indicteducation and educators in general while failing to advance specificsolutions to help all kids achieve.

Such self-serving invectives often are a kind of verbal drive-by shooting,with innocent schools and communities left tending those injured or killed

in the crossfire, while perpetrators slyly glide off to plot their next assault. The stakes are enormous. And ourstudents and schools deserve better. In such a muddled and emotional debate, it is easy to lose sight of whatreally contributes to student success.

P

Section ThreeNational PTA — National Standards for

Parent/Family Involvement Programs



n 1997, National PTA set standards for parent and family involvementprograms — more than 30 years of research and 100 years of practice

helped develop the standards by which parent involvement programs canexcel. National PTA in collaboration with parent involvement researchersand other national leaders — including NSPRA — developed thestandards. Nearly 100 professional education and parent/familyinvolvement organizations, state departments of education, colleges ofteacher education and school districts endorse them. The standards clearlydelineate those practices that have been shown to lead to success and high-quality parent involvement programs.

The standards booklet was developed to be apractical tool for meeting the threefold purpose ofthe voluntary national standards:

! To promote meaningful parent andfamily participation.

! To raise awareness regarding thecomponents of effective programs.

! To provide guidelines for schools thatwish to evaluate and improve theirprograms.

Effective parent involvement programs includeactivities that are addressed by the following sixstandards:

I. Communicating — Communicationbetween home and school is regular, two-way and meaningful.

II. Parenting — Parenting skills are promotedand supported.

III. Student learning — Parents play anintegral role in assisting student learning.

IV. Volunteering — Parents are welcome in theschool, and their support and assistance aresought.

V. School decision-making and advocacy —Parents are full partners in the decisionsthat affect children and families.

VI. Collaborating with community —Community resources are used tostrengthen schools, families and studentlearning.

Benefits of Parent InvolvementStudents

! Higher grades, test scores and graduationrates

! Better school attendance

! Increased motivation, better self-esteem

! Lower rates of suspension

! Decreased use of drugs and alcohol

! Fewer instances of violent behavior

! Greater enrollment in post-secondaryeducation

Teachers! Greater morale (and self-esteem)

! Teaching effectiveness (proficiency)increases

! Increased job satisfaction

! Communication/relations with students,parents, families and communitiesimproves

! Increased community support of schools

Parents! Communication/relations with children

and teachers improves

! Higher self-esteem

! Increased education level/skills

! Stronger decision-making skills

I

! Attitude toward school and schoolpersonnel improves

Parent Involvement and the LawStudies have documented that regardless of theeconomic, ethnic or cultural background of thefamily, parent involvement in a child’s education is amajor factor in determining success in school.Recognizing that parents are a child’s first teacher,National PTA has worked with federal legislators toinclude parent involvement requirements ineducation laws. Now, numerous laws requiremeaningful parent involvement, including theElementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act(IDEA). National PTA worked with Congress toinitiate the PARENT Act, which sought tostrengthen the parent participation policies in theESEA.

In January 2002, the ESEA was signed into law asthe No Child Left Behind Act. It authorizes morethan 40 programs that provide federal funds tonearly every school district in the nation. This lawnow includes many of the provisions of thePARENT Act and, for the first time, bases thedefinition of parent involvement on National PTA’sNational Standards for Parent/Family InvolvementPrograms.

National PTA has all the tools you need to createquality parent/family involvement programs in yourschool community.

Copies of the National Standards for Parent/FamilyInvolvement Programs can be purchased from theNational Education Service by calling 800-733-6786,e-mailing — [email protected], or visiting their website — www.solution-tree.com/Public/Main.aspx, formore information. Please request item #BKF175.


Knowledge will forever govern ignorance,and a people who mean to be their owngovernors must arm themselves withthe power which knowledge gives.

— James Madison

Appendices



What Is NSPRA?

ince 1935, the National School Public Relations Associationhas been providing school communication training and

services to school leaders throughout the United States, Canadaand the U.S. Dependent Schools worldwide. NSPRA’s mission isto advance education through responsible communication. Weaccomplish that mission through a variety of diverse services thatwe provide to our members and to other school leaders whocontract with or purchase products from us.

With 70 years of experience, we have a reputation inthe field for practical approaches to solving schooldistrict and agency communication problems. Wehave useful communication products, offerworkshops and seminars, maintain resource andresearch files, have contacts and resources within thecorporate communication industry and have 34chapters throughout the country that provide localnetworking opportunities for members.

In keeping with our mission, NSPRA providesworkshop assistance to school districts, state departmentsof education, regional service agencies, and state andnational associations. For many of these groups, we havecompleted research-based communication audits toanalyze the communication flow, targeting, content andeffectiveness of their communication messages.

The NSPRA National Seminar, the mostcomprehensive school communication workshopanywhere, is held each July. This four-day sessionoffers more than 70 topics on a wide array of schoolcommunication issues.

NSPRA’s monthly membership newsletter Network isseen as a communication resource for school leaders,not just our members. Each edition tackles a majorproblem and explains how communication can playa vital role in solving it.

PRincipal Communicator is our building-level PRnewsletter which provides practical help to schoolprincipals and other building-level leaders. Thecalendar and variety of communication topics arehelping many to effectively improve communicationat the community level.

Our four electronic newsletters, NSPRA This Week,The NSPRA Counselor, NSPRA Alert andOpportunities, provide summaries of breakingnational education news, in-depth studies of issuesand trends and updates on seminars, products andservices available to educators. CommunicationMatters for Leading Superintendents is an electronicnewsletter targeting issues and topics related tocommunication for school system leaders.

The Flag of Learning and Liberty is a nationaleducation symbol, developed by NSPRA in its 50th

Anniversary Year. On July 4, 1985, the Flag ofLearning and Liberty flew over the state houses of all50 states to launch the rededication of America’scommitment to education and a democratic, freesociety.

NSPRA is a member of the Educational LeadersConsortium and works with all major nationalorganizations to help improve educationalopportunities for the nation’s young people. Inaddition, NSPRA is a sponsoring agency of theEducational Research Service (ERS). The associationalso sponsors four national awards programs to bringrecognition for excellence in communication toindividuals, districts and agencies.

More information about NSPRA is available atwww.NSPRA.org.

S


Communication Accountability Project — 2005-2006 Task ForceChairs

Jim Dunn, APR (MO)[email protected]

Marsha Chappelow (MO)[email protected]

Board LiaisonsGay Campbell, APR (WA)

[email protected]

Bob Noyed, APR (MN)[email protected]

Staff LiaisonEdward H. Moore, APR

[email protected]

CAP Steering Committee MembersEllen Boyd, APR (NC)

[email protected]

Susan Hardy Brooks, APR (OK)[email protected]

Annette Eyman (NE)[email protected]

Louise Henry, APR (TX)[email protected]

Barbara Hunter, APR (VA)[email protected]

Rick Kaufman, APR (CO)[email protected]

Bonnie Reidy (NC)[email protected]

Athena Vadnais (OR)[email protected]

Gary Aungst (AZ)[email protected]

David Voss (FL)[email protected]

CAP Support/Research CommitteeCandace Ahlfinger, APR (TX)

[email protected]

Amanda Brooker (WI)[email protected]

Mary Jo Burton, APR (MO)[email protected]

Nora Carr, APR (NC)[email protected]

Brett Clark (IL)[email protected]

Rochelle Cancienne (LA)[email protected]

Jennifer Caracciolo (GA)[email protected]

Katherine Collins, APR (OR)[email protected]

Tom DeLapp (CA)[email protected]

Georgia Duran (CO)[email protected]

Cindy Gibson (MO) [email protected]

Eileen Harvala, APR (MN)[email protected]

Mary Ellen Marnholtz (WI)[email protected]

J. Marie Merrifield (WA)[email protected]

Lana Mueller (NJ)[email protected]

Sharon Raffer (CA)[email protected]

Laurie Reilly, APR (GA)[email protected]

Elise Shelton (TN)[email protected]

Carol Votsmier (IL)[email protected]

Allison Westfall (ID)[email protected]


Anne O. Cary

Anne Cary is an economist and a retired diplomat. She spent 25years with the U.S. Department of State, serving in Belgium, Haiti,France, Ethiopia, India, Morocco, South Africa and the U.S. Ms.Cary attended Trinity College in Ireland, graduated from theUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison and holds an M.A. from StanfordUniversity. She spent a year at Georgetown University as a RuskFellow, teaching an undergraduate seminar. She was president of theschool board of the Casablanca American School and has been activein PTA and PTSA’s both in the U.S. and abroad. Ms. Cary editedand published a weekly economic newsletter and as a consultantdoes editing and research for various organizations including theWorld Bank, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Servicesand Montgomery County Public Schools. She is also the parent ofthree public school students.

About the Author

2005-06 NSPRA Executive BoardPresident

Gay Campbell, APR

President-ElectBob Noyed, APR

Vice President for Diversity EngagementAnji Husain

Vice President at Large — Superintendents of SchoolsKenneth E. Bird

Vice President at Large — School Board FocusThomas J. Gentzel

Regional Vice PresidentsNortheast — Patricia Crawford

Mideast — Ronald E. Koehler, APRSoutheast — Tim Hensley, APRNorth Central — Nancy Kracke

South Central — Susan Hardy Brooks, APRNorthwest — Larry Wiget, APR

Southwest — Janelle R. Albertson, APR

Senior NSPRA StaffExecutive Director

Richard Bagin, APR

Associate DirectorsEd Moore, APR Karen Kleinz, APR

National School Public Relations Association15948 Derwood RoadRockville, Maryland 20855301-519-0496www.NSPRA.org

© 2006 National School Public Relations Association.

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