Parent Involvement and Public School Choice: Providing Effective Communication and Support

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Florida State Department of Educations Voluntary
Public School Choice Project

• Parent Involvement and Public School Choice
  Providing Effective Communication and Support
• November 19,2008
• National Web Broadcast
• United States Department of Education, Office of
  Innovation and Improvement, Nova Southeastern
  University, Fischler School of Education

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FLDOEs Voluntary Public School Choice (VPSC)
partnership

• Florida Department of Education
• Office of School Improvement
• Office of Independent Education and Parental
  Choice
• National Institute for Educational
  Options/Florida School Choice Resource Center
• Florida Public School Districts and
  Community/Faith Based Organizations

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VPSC statute for parent and community involvement

• 1. Requires that parents and others in the
  community are involved in the development of the
  program along with program staff
• 2. Requires that parents of students in the area
  to be served shall be provided with prompt notice
  of
• the existence of the program
• the programs availability and
• a clear explanation of how the program will
  operate

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Goal of FLDOE VPSC grant

• To increase opportunities by expanding public
  school choice options for students to enter
  high-quality public school choice programs,
  particularly those students attending schools in
  need of improvement.
• FSCRC supports this goal by educating parents,
  educators, and community members about public
  school choice and helping families become
  involved in decision making.

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How does FSCRC effectively communicate school
choice options to parents and foster parental
involvement?
Through 11 parent resource centers located across
the state of Florida
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Criteria used to choose locations

• Identify high needs populations

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• Partner with community and faith based
  organizations and districts
• Benefits
• Established and trusted voice in the community
• Piggy back on established activities
• Free space and donated resources

Centro Campesino
MiamiDade County Public Schools Title I
Parental Involvement offices
Fresh Ministries
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What types of resources are offered through the
PRCs?

• Parent workshops and training
• School choice materials
• Support services
• Parent liaisons

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Outcomes over last four years

• Increasing number of centers
• Increasing number of visitors per center

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2007-2012 Cycle Progress
Project Objective 2 In target communities,
increase the number of families with children in
lower-performing schools who transfer to
higher-performing schools.

Training participation of community and parent
volunteers at the School Choice Parent Resource
Centers will increase by 30.
25 more families at each School Choice Parent
Resource Center operating under this grant will
use PRC personalized assistance.
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Lessons learned

• Go where the parents are
• Hire parent liaisons from the community served
  with second language skills of the population
  they will be serving
• Develop strong relationships with districts
• Link school choice training with support
  workshops such as literacy, nutrition, and
  HIV-AIDS seminars that already draw parents to
  the center

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Additional Resources

• FSCRC Website www.schoolofed.nova.edu/choice/
• BuldingChoice Website www.buildingchoice.org
• Contact Dr. Judith Stein,
• Phone [phone]
• Email stein_at_nova.edu