Parent Involvement

2006-09-10T08:05:00.000-04:00

Parent Involvement: Have you been a Dad today?

Parent Involvement: Have you been a dad today?

A short public service announcement making the case for father involvement.

2006-09-05T21:08:00.000-04:00

Parental Involvement

Missouri Commission of Education, D. Kent King, talks about the absolute need for more parental involvement in St. Louis Public Schools.

Making your School a Friendlier Place for Parents

2006-04-13T12:44:00.000-04:00

An audio of more tips and ideas for making your school parent friendly. Length 9:17 .

Parent involvement begins at the school door!

Ready. Sit. Read

2006-04-05T09:17:00.000-04:00

Looking for a resource for parents that will encourage parents to read with their children? Well, this site may just be the answer. Sponsored by Target Department stores, parent are offered tips on reading with your child, reading and writing, personal writing, and coupons and promotions. Thee is also a book club for kids
The site is very attractive, with sound and graphics
Share this site with parents!
http://sites.target.com/site/en/readysitread/home.jsp

For More articles on Parent Involvement see: Parent Involvement in Schools

Getting Hispanics involved in Schools

2006-03-07T08:10:00.000-05:00

A quick post today to point you to an article about ways to get Hispanic parents invoved in schools. The article contains some hidden nuggets that you can use to increase parent involvement in your school!

See if you can find them and let me know if you have struck gold

Here's the article One Latina mother sets a PTA example

Visit Parent Involvement in Schools for more tips, tricks and techniques.

Parent Involvement: Schools Role is Expanding

2006-03-05T09:15:00.000-05:00

Breakfast Programs
School Lunch
After Schools tutoring
Parenting Classes
Parent Involvement coordinators
Food baskets
Enrichments programs
Family counseling

Schools today provide a greatly expanded menu of services to families. Where will it end? The simple answer is it won't. Parent and family programs have been expanding for at least 30 years. I expect that trend to continue.

As schools, we need to continue to support families in whatever way we can. Read the story of one districts efforts to make a difference. Much More Than Lessons

Visit Parent Involvement in Schools for more tips, tricks and techniques.

Parent Involvement: Meeting the Needs of ELL Parents

2006-02-23T09:55:00.000-05:00

This article comes for the "TheGarden Island" of Kauai, Hawaii. For those of you who may ask why I would be talking about this, lets remember its part of theUnited States and it is it not only a beautiful place to be, but also because it has the same sorts of problems when it comes to reaching the hardest to involve parents. In this case I am talking about recently arrived families from the Marshall Islands.

Comments from the article include:

"Clement said he doesn't blame the parents for
not being able to help the children. "They probably don't have the
knowledge or abilities to help the kids,".

The article talks about the huge cultural barriers immigrant families face in Hawaii. Some children are shocked with the differences, in school, policies, schoolwork and homework requirements they find in their new schools.

Visit the article here: Marshallese students face cultural barrier

For more information and articles on parent involvement in schools click here: Parent involvement in schools.com

Listen to the Audio post by clicking the play button below

2006-02-13T08:59:00.000-05:00

Listen to a workshop participant talk about the Team training and the workshop presenters. for more information about how we may be of assistance, please click the link to our website at : www.parent-involvement-in-schools.com

2006-02-10T15:31:00.000-05:00

This short video explains the importance of forming a team to help your parent involvment effort.
Make sure you involve all stakeholders and have a truly representative committee!

For more on parent involvement visit our site at: www.parent-involvement-in-schools.com

Parent Involvement: Helping Parents Help Their Children

2005-12-29T08:48:00.000-05:00

I found this article in the Saint Louis Post Dispatch. The author makes the point (and I agree) that the most important kind of parent involvement takes place in the home. Talking with your children about school and its importance, can pay big dividends in children academic acheivement and any parent can do this. You don't need a big education or even be able to speak English well. Just let your kids know that school is their "job" and it is the most important thing they do every day.

Even though schools aren't in the home, they have an important role to play. Namely, helping parents help their children with homework, getting into college, providing workshops on state standards, local and state testing programs, etc. Take a look at the article here .

For more articles on Parent Involvement in Schools click here.

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Parent Involvement: Video Using Blogs in Schools

2005-12-22T08:17:00.000-05:00

Here is a video from Intel which shows how teachers are using blogs in high school. It interviews teachers and students about the process and the benefits of using this technology to improve interactivity in an English class.

Could this technology be adapted to use in improving parent involvemnt in schools?

email me at camodeo@nycap.rr.com if you have ideas.

To view the video click here.

For more information about parentinvolvement in schools click here

Parent Involvement: Time for a New School Structure?

2005-12-17T10:05:00.000-05:00

A recent article in the New York Times reported that a group in the New York City Schools wants more oversight of parent involvement activities. Some complained that parent coordinators have been hired and that, in some cases, they failed to establish a functioning PTA or PTO.

Could it be that the time is right to look at the whole concept of school organization as it relates to parent involvement? Many urban schools have no functioning parent teacher organization. This lack of parental involvement in the school leadership structure mirrors the many ills of urban schools such as discipline, truancy, and a feeling of hopelessness on the part of some staff as well as and parents.

One of the dirty little secrets of public education is that schools use some subtile and not so subtile methods to discourage parents from becoming involved in the school. teachers and administrators have actually expressed to me that they don't want parents any more involved then they are now!

A number of schools today are hiring parent coordinators or facilitators to encourage parent involvement. This is not a bad first step but it can lead to that person being seen as the "guru" of parent involvement in the school. All issues fall to this person and other staff see this an opportunity to sidestep any involvement on their own part. The very nature of parent involvement requires the involvement of all staff, from the custodial staff to the principal.

With this introduction I make modest proposal:

Lets look at combining PTA/PTO functions with parent involvement efforts in the building. Bring them under one umbrella. This new group (which I call a Parent Partnership Team) would support not only the fund raising efforts undertaken by PTO's but also directly support the linking of school goals to parent involvement activities.

In this way we better utilize scarce resources by taking a team approach to parental involvment and avoid the sometimes fragmented approach I find so common.

If you would like to read more about parent involvment in schools, please visit my website here

Mississippi Pain for Middle Schools Students

2005-12-14T09:40:00.000-05:00

Lest we forget. Here is a link to NPR weekend edition that visited a midde school in Mississippi during November 2005. They interviewed students and administrators about the ongoing issues they are dealing with on a daily basis.

Students are fearful, depressed, and uncertain about their futures. Many are living in tents, and trailers, while other families survived seemingly unscathed. But many of those students carry the guilt of not having to deal with as much as their classmates.

For the audio link, click here.

For more articles on parent involvement visit my website here

Getting Parents to School Workshops

2005-12-09T09:20:00.000-05:00

Here are some parent involvement tips when trying to get parents to school activities and events.

Divide and Conquer

Provide activities for parents separate from the children. For instance, the parents could to be in the school library to listen to a speaker talk about how to read to your child at home. At the same time, children are in the auditorium listening to a storyteller or watching a quality video, or playing games.

Get the Kids Excited

Have a pep rally before the parent involvement activity just as you would hold a pep rally for a sports event. Talk up the event, mentioned how much fun it is going to be. Talk about the refreshments to be provided and the prizes to be awarded. Once the kids are excited they will go home and do their very best to recruit their parents for the event.

To Read More, Click Here

Parent Involvement -Giving Non-native Speakers a Voice

2005-11-20T08:07:00.000-05:00

Often, urban schools decry the lack of parent involvement in school. Many schools have lost their PTO or PTA altogether.

A school in Tampa Florida used its community to full advantage by using translators to encourage the mostly Hispanic school community to get involved in the school. Where there was no PTA, the school now has a president, vice president and secretary who speak little or no English. The principal thinks it is working well. This new group gives a voice to the local community in important school matters and acts as a springboard to further involvement from the community.

To read the full story click here.
For more articles on parent involvement click here

Parent Involvement In Schools, Who are The Hardest To Involve Parents?

2005-11-10T08:08:00.000-05:00

Parents approach the school experience based upon their
experience from their own education. If that experience
was positive, then they are likely to take a positive approach
to their child’s school. These parents tend to feel comfortable at
school, and some take active and visible roles in the children’s
education.

The group of hardest-to-involve parents includes those whose
school experiences have made them cautious, suspicious, and
distrustful when coming into the schools. It also includes parents
who face other barriers in becoming more involved.

These parents may be poor, employed in low-paying jobs with no time
off, or unemployed. They may have transportation, medical, or
childcare problems. They may not speak English as their first language,
have limited literacy skills, or have limited educations.
They may have had distasteful experiences with social services
agencies and see the schools as part of that experience.

As educators, we must do all that we can to proactively reach out to these "Hardest to Involve Parents. They will not show up to conferences or school events until they feel

comfortable
appreceiated
and
respected.

Communicating with parents by doing one of the following such as;

Sending a flyer home
Putting an article in the school newsletter
Sending a note home
Getting another parent to contact them

Won't work!

Nope, none of these ideas work!

But these methods used together will make a big difference in parents involvement in school, even the hard to involve.

More Ideas

7 Parent Involvement Ideas And Strategies To Help Build Parent Involvement In Your School

2005-11-04T09:44:00.000-05:00

The superintendent and board of education in your district have decided that they need parent involvement ideas. They want to make parent involvement a focus in the new goals for the coming school year.
Your boss, the superintendent has chosen you lead this effort. What to do? Where to begin?
You begin by searching the Internet for information for parent involvement ideas that can help you get started. You’ve done the usual things, open house, parent conferences, ice cream socials, etc. but what else is out there that can help you make a difference in parent involvement?
Before you begin, take a look at some of these parent involvement ideas for jumpstarting parent involvement in your district... More here

Recognize Parents for Involvement

2005-10-27T08:46:00.000-04:00

The Campbell's Soup Company, through their Labels for Education Program is offering a prize for parents who go above and beyond the call of duty for efforts at the school and in the classroom.

Winning parents will be awarded a 10,000 Labels for Education bonus certificate and a $50 shopping card!

Read more about the contest by clicking this link .

For more articles, tips and ideas click here.

Parent Involvement in Schools – Government Resources Available for Parents

2005-10-24T20:29:00.000-04:00

Looking for materials for your parent involvement program? Look no further that the U.S. Department of Education’s website! Here you can find a wealth of well-written material for teacher and parents. They can be downloaded for free and copies made available for distribution. Check out the following links.

Helping Your Child Series

Publications in Spanish

FREE Brochure Available To Help Inform Parents About Free Tutoring Under NCLB

A Guide to The Tool kit for Hispanic Parents

For other articles on parent involvement click here

Parent Involvement Blues

2005-09-25T08:08:00.000-04:00

Just read a post by Jacinda who is lamenting about the attendance at a Title I meeting at her school. She feels that not enough parents are involved. Only 5 out of 700 families showed up for the meeting.

But this is typical unless there is a coordinated effort ot involve all the parents, including the hardest to involve parents! Take a look at her post here

Parent Involvement In Schools: Resources For Educators – Audio And Video Information

2005-09-19T22:34:00.000-04:00

Perhaps you are uncertain whether or not we actually have expertise in parent involvement.

Both Su and I have spent years in the education arena working with urban schools. We regularly present our program and conferences around the county. Here are some of the places we have presented: Read More Here

Need parent involvement articles to help you get started with increasing parent involvement in school?

2005-09-14T12:10:00.000-04:00

Look here for a growing list of tips and suggestions and parent involvement articles to help you increase parent involvement in your school. We will be adding articles to this page in order to provide you with a wealth of information about how you can make a difference in parent involvement at your school or district. Follow this link for more information.

Parent Involvement: New Resources for Hispanic Parents

2005-09-14T08:33:00.000-04:00

The U. S. Department of Education has recently published a new booklet to its downloadable collection. This one is entitled "A Guide to the Toolkit Hispanic Families".

Of course, it's available in both English and Spanish. The toolkit provides information about what you should know, how "No Child Left Behind" can help you and how to use the toolkit.

It also is provides specific information at the elementary, middle and high school level for parents.

An additional booklet provides homework tips for parents.

You would like download the booklet please go to the following link:

http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2005/08/08312005.html

Looking for Parent Involvement Idea's and Activities?

2005-09-09T09:56:00.000-04:00

Finding and using parent involvement idea's can be a daunting task for administrators and teachers. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Workshops for teachers:

The NCLB regulations require that staff received training to encourage parent involvement. You can arrange teacher workshops be held after school were during the summer recess on topics such as:

Working with Parents Successfully
Reaching the Hard to Involve Parent
Working with non-Native Speakers
Multicultural Education
Gang Prevention

Make sure you've survey your staff and asked them what they need. Use that information put together a program for them.

Click here to read the rest of the article

The Triad of Parent Involvement in Schools

2005-09-09T07:08:00.000-04:00

What exactly is parent involvement? Most teachers and administrators will tell you that it is part of a descriptor of what constitutes an effective school. When we conduct workshops on parent involvement in schools, we often find that educators have only a vague idea of what is involved.

The U.S. Department of Education uses the following descriptors :

Means the participation of parents in regular, two-way, meaningful communications involving student academic learning.

parents play an integral part in assisting their child’s learning;

encourages parents to be actively involved in their child’s education at school; and that parents are full partners in their child’s education

This then is the unofficial definition and Department has developed. It encompasses a very definite focus on parents being viewed as full partners in their children’s education. It is developed to encourage a partnership around the academic achievement of children.

To read the rest of this article follow this link.

Parent Involvement" Opening Day-Open House Ideas

2005-08-28T07:58:00.000-04:00

According to the survey students whose parents are less involved in their education and in the life of the school frequently report that their parents are less involved in school, are less informed about what is happening at the school. Moreover the students tend to not do as well in school as their age mates . Take a look at page 90 in this by report clicking the link.
Metlife

On a more positive note, The First Day Foundation has a web site well worth a look . The web site provides a wealth of information and videos about activities for the first day of school. They are big on involving the community and make a convincing case for doing so. Take a look here: First Day Foundation

And finally.... From the Lahontan Valley News. The local school surveyed parents and came up with an idea to offer open house 2 times during the day.
Open House

ABOUT THE AUTHORS Dr. Chuck and Su Amodeo are the authors of "Reaching the Hardest to Involve Parents" teacher/parent training manual. To learn more about parent involvement and training programs, visit their site at : www.parent-involvement-in-schools.com

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Parent Involvement: Is Your School Office Parent Friendly?

2005-08-11T08:09:00.000-04:00

Whenever I go into a school office I am always impressed by the variability I experience with the office staff.

Some staff are gracious, while other are cautious and downright un-friendly. It doesn't seem to matter whether or not the school is located in a poor, middle class or affluent area of town.

I spoke with a parent in a workshop we were conducting in Dallas, Texas a couple of years ago. She was upset that she had difficulty getting the attention of the office staff. This got to the point that she removed here child from the school and found another.
What could have made the difference?

In a word ...Training

The schools administrator sets the tone for more than academics and discipline in the school. She needs to set in place, through deliberate action, the policies and guidelines for the manner in which office staff and teaching staff greet parents and community when they arrive at the school office.

A customer service training workshop for staff should be offered every year.
The training program should focus on:

1. The school mission
2. School policy
3. Proper ways to greet the visitor
4. How to handle upset parents

The thoughtful school administrator will consider the office environment if they want to encourage parent involvement in schools.

She should do everything possible to make the environment " parent-friendly". A comfortable place to sit (not student desks) as I have seen in some places!

Yes, parents should even be offered coffee or tea.

In this era of accountability, When No Child left Behind mandates new policy for parent involvement, our school offices and staff need to be held accountable for taking care of our customers - our parents, community and students.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS Dr. Chuck and Su Amodeo are the authors of "Reaching the Hardest to Involve Parents" teacher/parent training manual. To learn more about parent involvement and training programs, visit their site at : www.parent-involvement-in-schools.com

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Parent Involvement - Growing Ohana

2005-08-06T09:03:00.000-04:00

In the small Town of Kahalu'u, Kahalu'u Elementary School has taken the art of parent involvement to a new level. This small town was recently named by the Hawaii Department of Education for oversight to improve teaching methods and test scores. Despite this designation, the school has soldiered on.

They begin with a "First Night Before School" dinner. Relying on donations and the contribution from parents, the school community assembles for an evening of fun and family and then "talk story" with staff, teachers and community counselors.
They are doing this by beginning with the end in mind. They have first day of school activities beginning at 3:30 pm, designed to involve all parents and faculty.

A Kinder Kamp for incoming Kindergarten students to help them ease the transition between school and home. to learn to get along in this very social situation and to help parents feel more secure about leaving their little one at school.

This school seems to be doing a great job of building "Ohana", (or family) in Hawaiian. They have not forgotten the importance of putting the family in the school. They are building partnerships between the home and school designed to improve academic achievement. A first day activity is a great method!

This idea is further outlined in the school's website:
http://www.kahaluu.k12.hi.us/general%20information.html

"The purpose of the Kahalu'u School Ohana is to provide a forum which enables the Kahalu'u School Community, consisting of families, teachers and staff, to enhance the educational process of our children. The Ohana coordinates fund-raising, organizes special events, assists with school enrichment activities and coordinates parent volunteers. The Ohana elects two parent representatives to the SCBM Council and they in turn, report to the Ohana".

ABOUT THE AUTHORS Dr. Chuck and Su Amodeo are the authors of "Reaching the Hardest to Involve Parents" teacher/parent training manual. To learn more about their training visit their site at : www.lighthouseeducation.us

NOTE: You’re welcome to “reprint” this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the “about the author” info at the end), and you send a copy of your reprint to chuck@lighthouseeducation.us

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Recruiting Parents For Parent Involvement Activities

2005-07-11T09:29:00.000-04:00

How do you get more parents into your schools for parent involvement activities? This is a significant question in light of the NCLB regulations which specifically spell out the kind, type and amount of parent involvement that needs to be present in a school organization.

But how to recruit parents? They face barriers to becoming involved in the schools which can sometimes seem insurmountable. Consider using the following ideas as you make plans to recruit more parents to your schools.

Understand the new parent involvement regulations. http://www.ed.gov/programs/titleiparta/parentinvguid.pdf

Understand the definition parent involvement currently promoted by the Department of Education:

Parent Involvement means the participation of parents in regular, two-way, meaningful communications involving student academic learning.
Parents play an integral part in assisting their child’s learning;
Encourages parents to be involved in their child’s education at school;
And that parents are full partners in their child’s education

Understand the barriers that parents face a becoming more involved in the schools, and with their children's education. These barriers can be dealt with in a simple step-by-step process. Use like-minded individuals to help brainstorm the barriers... And the solution to those barriers

Use what you know about barriers to customize solutions for those parents who are the hardest to involve. Often these parents of children in the schools are struggling with academics and behavioral issues

Many hands make light work. Use a team approach of parents teachers and community members to play in strategies that will help involve parents in the education of their children

Write it down. Collect all your ideas into a cohesive plan that will help you develop a useful recruitment strategy for parents and community members associated with your school.

NOTE: You’re welcome to “reprint” this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the “about the author” info at the end), and you send a copy of your reprint to chuck@lighthouseeducation.us

Parent Involvement using the coffee pot approach

2005-06-26T09:09:00.000-04:00

As I sit here in my hotel room in Nashville, I noticed a new fangled coffee maker on the desk where I am doing some work for an upcoming presentation.

What is unusual about this coffeemaker was the fact that it didn’t have a pot!

Instead of a pot there was a place where you put a cup of water in and then simply put you cup where you would normally put the pot. It also had a special coffee filter setup in a disposable plastic container. This worked great and keeps people from taking extra coffee home with them.

Great design ideas!

You might ask what the heck does this have to do with parent involvement?

Well, great design will often lead to great results. If you are throwing money at your parent involvement program by buying books on P.I. for your school library or holding disconnected school events, you have a very poor design, or more likely, no design at all. Your results will not be measurable and you will see very little in the way of an increase in noticeable parent involvement at your school.

Without a good design, without measurable goals, objectives and the involvement of staff and parents in the design your results will be hit and miss.

Schools that make a conscious plan for the involvement of parents, in a variety of ways and then implement those plans that support school goals are much more likely to see success with parents.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Dr. Chuck and Su Amodeo are the authors of "Reaching the Hardest to Involve Parents" teacher/parent training manual. To learn more about their training visit their site at : www.lighthouseeducation.us

NOTE: You’re welcome to “reprint” this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the “about the author” info at the end), and you send a copy of your reprint to chuck@lighthouseeducation.us

Parents Matter in Student Achievement

2005-06-22T07:13:00.000-04:00

Here is an article that recently appeared in a midwestern newspaper. It reinforces the concept of the importance of parents involvement in their children's education.
The parent is the child's first and most important teacher. Without their support, the classroom teacher is handicapped in providing the best possible quality education for their students.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Dr. Chuck and Su Amodeo are the authors of "Reaching the Hardest to Involve Parents" teacher/parent training manual. To learn more about their training visit their site at : www.lighthouseeducation.us

NOTE: You’re welcome to “reprint” this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the “about the author” info at the end), and you send a copy of your reprint to chuck@lighthouseeducation.us

Building More Parent Friendly Schools

2005-06-19T12:32:00.000-04:00

As my wife Dr. Su Amodeo and I travel around the country teaching workshops on parent and community involvement we have started collecting the signs that school's post on the front door, where parents and students enter. We use them extensively in our workshops when we talk about creating more parent friendly schools. As educators and parents, we need to be very careful when we post messages on the front door of our schools, as this is the first impression parents have of the school. Signage that casts a negative image of the school or subtly discourages parents from entering the school can create an atmosphere of mistrust before the visitor even enters the building. Below you will see an example of the kind of negative signage were talking about. Take a look at your schools sign. Is it negative, positive, neutral? Try rewriting the sign so that it has a more friendly tone yet still conveys the message desired. If your goal is to attract more parent and community involvement to your school. It begins at the front door.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Dr. Chuck and Su Amodeo are the authors of "Reaching the Hardest to Involve Parents" teacher/parent training manual. To learn more about their training visit their site at : www.lighthouseeducation.us

NOTE: You’re welcome to “reprint” this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the “about the author” info at the end), and you send a copy of your reprint to chuck@lighthouseeducation.us

Excellent suggestions for parent involvement

2005-06-17T08:37:00.000-04:00

I discovered this book review on another blogger's site which I will refer to at the end. This review provides excellent recommendations and suggestions for how to get parents more involved in the schools.

"As San Diego's De Portola Middle School has done, a school can also train office personnel to welcome parents, providing them with someplace comfortable to sit while they wait, offering them a cup of coffee and, when needed, a student escort." Excellent suggestion. This is another great idea for ways to make your school more parent friendly.

When parents are involved in the lives to children, especially regarding school, the current research says that student achievement improves, attendance improves, and disciplines decrease. You can read more here:

Building Trust With Hard to Involve Parents

2005-06-04T08:29:00.000-04:00

As mentioned in previous posts, many of the hardest to involve parents are distrustful of the school and its staff. Schools need to work proactively toward building trust with families if they want the parents/guardians to be more involved. Trust building is a critical step in getting parents more involved in the life of the school.
There are some ways for teachers to build trust:

1. Send parents an introductory letter at the beginning of the year
2. Talk to parents outside of school and arrival and departure times
3. Do not sit behind your desk at conference time. Sit face-to-face with the parent
4. Pay attention to your body language. Begin the conference with positive statements about the student
5. Make good news telephone calls and send weekly written and oral communications to parents about positive classroom activities
6. Listen to what parents have to say before you make your point to ensure that they feel understood
7. Tell parents about yourself and your interests

Building trust with hard to involve parents may take a year or more of constant effort. But stick with it. It can pay off with increased parent involvement, communications, and understanding of the school as well as the needs of students.

International Center for Leadership in Education Conference

2005-05-15T10:56:00.000-04:00

Today's message is about the upcoming conference sponsored by the International Center For Leadership in Education. The conference will be held in Nashville, Tennessee. Su I will be attending and presenting two workshops on parent involvement. We both feel that this is one of the most professional conferences we have ever attended and we have attended many!

We will be providing information to districts in attendance from around the country on our topic of "Reaching the Hardest to Involve Parent". The conference is an opportunity to work with educators from around the country who are interested wide ranging set of topics. If you would like to learn more about the International Center you can reach them at following link: http://www.daggett.com/

If you would like more information about us visit our web site at: www.lighthouseeducation.us

Who are the hardest to involve parents?

2005-05-13T10:12:00.000-04:00

Parents approach the school based upon their experience from their own education. If that experience was positive, then they are likely to take a positive approach to their child's school. These parents tend to feel comfortable at school, and some takes visible roles in their children's education.

The group of "hardest to involve parents" includes those whose school experiences have made them cautious, suspicious, and distrustful when coming into the schools. It also includes parents who face other barriers to becoming more involved. These parents may be poor, employed at low-paying jobs with no time off, or unemployed. They may face transportation, medical, or childcare problems. That may not speak English as their first language, have limited literacy skills, or have limited education. They may have had distasteful experiences with social service agencies and see schools as part of that experience.