Elected Officials and Parents Propose New Steps to Encourage Parental Involvement in Delaware Schools

Proposed Legislation Seeks to Boost Schools' Outreach to Parents

For Immediate Release: Thursday, March 25, 2010

Dover - Lieutenant Governor Matt Denn, House Education Committee Chair Terry Schooley, and Senate Education Chair David Sokola were joined by parent advocates today as they unveiled legislation designed to encourage more parental involvement in Delaware schools. The legislation will encourage schools to take more steps to engage parents in their children's schoolwork, in light of universal agreement that parental involvement has a direct impact on student success.

If passed, the legislation will cause schools to ask parents at the beginning of the school year to enter into voluntary compacts regarding their level of involvement with their children's schoolwork, at home and in school. The legislation will also dramatically expand the amount of information about schools' parental involvement efforts disclosed in the state's annual school accountability report cards.

Parent advocates, including State PTA President Bud Mullin, North Dover Elementary School PTO President Amy Bowen, South Dover Elementary School PTF President Beth Christiansen, and Central Middle School PTO President Dennis Hallock joined the elected officials to express their support for this effort.

Lt. Governor Denn said that encouraging schools to make extra efforts to involve parents is critical, because parental involvement is voluntary. "Increasing parental involvement is tough," he said. "Unlike government programs, we can't just turn a switch or pass a law and make things happen. But the steps that this bill will put in place are solid, concrete ones that will encourage our schools to expand their efforts to involve parents in their schools. When parents become more involved, their kids will benefit, and that is what we all want."

Representative Schooley added that ""Parental involvement is essential to children's long-term development and success. Our schools have children in class for eight hours a day 180 days a year, but their education continues outside the classroom, at home with their families. Children whose parents take an active role in their education and their daily lives better understand and value the importance of a quality education and have a better opportunity to succeed in life."

"This Act to emphasize parent involvement in schools is long overdue. Delaware PTA would like to thank Lt. Governor Denn, Senator Sokola and Representative Schooley and all the legislators who have signed onto this bill. For involvement to happen though, principals, teachers, and parents themselves must believe that all parents can contribute to their children's success in school," said Bud Mullin, Delaware PTA President. "Parents must then take the responsibility to:

• Keep their children focused on learning and homework
• Sending their children to school ready to learn every day
• Encouraging their children
• Helping them plan for higher education"

"This act is an important first step for this to happen in our schools. We look forward to working with everyone to enhance and build parent involvement in Delaware."