Encouraging Parental Involvement and Strengthening School-Parent Partnerships

By Marilyn Piperno and Kim Eulner

As your representatives in the 11th legislative district, we firmly believe education should be highly regarded. We have always aimed to ensure that our schools and their students and teachers are equipped with the necessary resources and fully funded programs to succeed.

However, we are deeply disturbed by the concerning trend in our educational system that seeks to diminish parental input in their child’s education. We stand as advocates for parental involvement in the curriculum as we realize its vital role in the well-being of every student.

Parents play an essential part in their children’s educational growth, acting as their first teachers, mentors, and motivators. This invaluable role gives parents a direct insight into their child’s education; they gain a unique comprehension of their learning styles, competencies, and weaknesses.

Moreover, when parents are deeply invested in their child’s educational success, they can ensure they have the necessary resources to thrive academically. The most important of these resources is time and attention.

Numerous studies have found that students whose parents are more involved in their education tend to demonstrate better academic results than those less involved. To best support their child, parents should not only be encouraging and positive, but they should also strive to make sure that their child’s educational environment is safe and secure.

Additionally, communication between parents and teachers should be established so parents can acquire advice on assisting their child best to succeed academically. Finally, they should ensure that their child is accessible to the appropriate opportunities to assist them in building their knowledge and skills.

Recently, there has been an increasingly concerning issue with parents being shut out of essential conversations about what their children are being instructed. Schools have become too eager to enforce their agenda without considering the parents’ opinions.

This marginalizes the role of parents in their children’s school life and weakens the academic institution. Without the proper inclusion of parental involvement, we are creating a gap between schools and homes, which can bring about detrimental outcomes for our children’s education.

Not all parents and guardians are educational experts, but they bring a valuable perspective. Parents have a wealth of experience regarding their children’s emotional, social, and cognitive development. This is critical in shaping the curriculum, ensuring that it is responsive to the needs of students and families. When parents are included, we create a partnership between home and school to foster student success.

The goal of parental input is not to control but to collaborate and create a learning environment that benefits both the students and the families. We strive to allow parents to actively participate in their child’s education and work with the educational system to reach our shared objectives.

Therefore, we urge education administrators, school districts, and teachers to actively engage with parents in curriculum development to foster collaboration and create inclusive learning opportunities that secure a promising future for our children.

Yours in service,

Marilyn and Kim