How can school administrators support implementation of high-quality IEPs?

In addition to the use of evidence-based practices, family involvement is one of the most important—if not the most important—factors in helping to ensure a child’s success in school. Family involvement increases academic achievement, as reflected in higher test scores and graduation rates, and further improves the likelihood that students will go on to pursue higher education. Educators can employ the following strategies to encourage involvement of families in their child’s education.

Communicating

Communicate in as many ways as possible (e.g., emails, notes home, bulletin boards) regarding the child’s performance, school policies, and programs and create opportunities for two-way communication. This can include meeting with parents at least once a year for parent conferences, but it can also include informal opportunities (e.g., monthly coffees, fall festival, family reading night). When communicating, consider the following tips.

Tips for written communication:

• Provide information in the parents’ native language, when possible.
• Use lay language instead of professional jargon.
• Use an appropriate reading level.
• Attend promptly to parental requests or responses.

Tips for in-person communication:

• Allow time for a response.
• Be aware of personal space, touching, and eye contact.
• Be sensitive to different communication styles.
• Describe the child’s strengths and weaknesses in a nonjudgmental fashion.
• Express optimism about the child’s potential for improvement.
• Be understanding about parents’ reactions to information presented about their child.
• Offer translators for verbal communication, as needed.

Learning

Involve families in their child’s learning at home. To do this, educators can:

• Share ideas about the ways families can support learning at home (e.g., employing strategies for completing homework, reading to child at home, talking to child about school).
• Provide families with information about the skills being addressed in classrooms.
• Involve families with setting goals for their child and planning for their transitions.
• Inform families about the ways to link the learning in the classroom to community activities.
• Inform families of after school activities and how to involve their children.

School Decision Making

Include families in school-related decision making. To do this, educators can:

• Encourage families to participate in PTA/ PTO meetings.
• Inform families about the school board, its members, voting opportunities, and other related issues.
• Invite family members to be active participants on school improvement committees and advisory boards.

Parents often report that they do not feel respected by school personnel. To avoid this potential pitfall, educators can show respect by recognizing parents as decision makers and by respecting their points of view. Respecting parents means acknowledging them as the ultimate decision-makers on behalf of their child. Generally, parents are the one constant influence and presence in their child’s life. For many children with disabilities, parents are actively involved in their lives well into adulthood, whereas educators influence their lives for only one or two school years. Typically, parents are concerned about all aspects of a child’s life, whereas an educator’s primary focus is on the educational aspects. Additionally, school personnel need to remember the rules of basic courtesy when communicating with all parents, taking into consideration different cultural, linguistic, educational, economic, and racial backgrounds.

Another way to build positive relationships with the families of children who have disabilities is to use a strengths-based approach, which acknowledges and builds on what a student does well. When talking about a student who doesn’t have a disability or an identified need, educators often focus on the student’s abilities, talents, and progress. However, when they speak of a student with a disability, educators have a tendency to focus on weaknesses, deficits, or challenges. It is important for educators not only to recognize that both the child and his or her family have abilities and talents but also to make it a practice to communicate that recognition to the families.