Research shows that parental involvement is key to ensuring a child’s success at school. What steps would you recommend to encourage more parental engagement? (Question from Utahans for Public Schools)

Parent involvement is so vital to student’s education, but often parents are unaware of the opportunities available to them. Some steps that can be taken to encourage parental engagement include:

1. Hosting events and activities that bring parents and families into a school
2. Communicating with parents frequently using a variety of methods
3. Creating a warm, respectful and welcoming school environment
4. Being flexible in accommodating parents and families
5. Providing a variety of resources for parents
6. Supporting parents in helping their children at home
7. Connecting students and families to community resources that strengthen and support students’ learning
8. Engaging families in school planning, leadership and meaningful volunteer opportunities
9. Establishing effective school-to-home and home-to-school communication
10. Providing workshops and materials for parents on typical development and appropriate and school expectation for various age groups.