Parent Involvement: Who’s Accountable? Who Benefits?

1. Parent Involvement:Who’s Accountable?Who Benefits? Batya Elbaum, Ph.D. University of Miami Annual Meeting of The Family Cafe Orlando, FL June 3, 2006

2. What is “parent involvement?”

6. NCLB 2001, Title I: Definition of Parent Involvement “The statute defines parental involvement as the participation of parents in regular, two-way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities.”

7. NCLB 2001: What the mandate for parent involvement policies and activities is intended to accomplish • That parents play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning; • That parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education at school; • That parents are full partners in their child’s education and are included, as appropriate, in decision-making and on advisory committees to assist in the education of their child.

8. IDEA 2004: What support for parent training and information activities is intended to accomplish • Create and preserveconstructive relationships between parents and schools • Ensure parent involvement in planning and decision making

9. IDEA 2004: What support for parent training and information activities is intended to accomplish • Assist parents todevelop skills they need to participate effectively in the education and development of their children • Support parents as participants within partnerships • Help overcome economic, cultural, and linguistic barriers to full parent participation

10. U.S. Parent Participation in the IEP • Source: Over 8,000 families interviewed for the National Longitudinal Transition Study, 2003.

11. U.S. Parent Participation in the IEP • 85% of parents reported that they had participated in an IEP meeting for their child in the previous two years.

12. Florida Parent Participation in the IEP • Source: Florida’s Annual Performance Report submitted in March, 2005. • Results were based on an examination of 343 IEPs from 12 districts that were monitored in 2003-04.

13. Florida Parent Participation in the IEP • 59% of the IEPs had parent signatures indicating attendance. • 16% of the IEPs showed that parents consented to have the IEP meeting without their presence.

14. NLTS-2: Who primarily developed your child’s IEP goals? School 45% School and family 33% Family/youth 21% • Source: National Longitudinal Transition Study, 2003.

15. NLTS-2: Percent of families that reported they wanted to be more involved in decisions about their child’s IEP • Source: National Longitudinal Transition Study, 2003.

18. Parent Involvement: Who’s Accountable? • Under IDEA, Early Intervention Programs and State Educational Agencies are responsible for reporting to OSEP (the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs) on parent involvement.

19. Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA) • “seeks to shift the focus of government accountability away from a preoccupation with theactivities that are undertaken . . . to afocus on theresults of those activities.”

20. Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) • A grading tool developed by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in 2002 to grade federal programs.

21. PART Ratings for Programs under IDEA

22. The new accountability • Focused Monitoring • Performance Indicators • State Performance Plan • Annual Performance Report

23. Focused Monitoring • A process that purposefully selects priority areas to examine for compliance and results, while not specifically examining other areas for compliance, to • maximize resources, • emphasize important variables, and • increase the probability of improved results.

24. Performance Indicators • Part C programs (birth to 3) must report on 14 indicators • Part B programs (3-21) must report on 20 indicators • For both programs, the indicators focus not only on procedural compliance but on results

25. State Performance Plan • 6-year plan describing: • How the State will collect data addressing each performance indicator; • Baseline data: how the State is doing this year • Targets: where the State wants to be in 6 years • Improvement plan

26. Annual Performance Report • Must be submitted to OSEP • Results must be reported publicly • Results must be reported • for the State as a whole, and • for each Early Intervention Program and Local Educational Agency (school district) in the State

27. A Part C complianceindicator • Percent of infants and toddlers with IFSPs who receive the early intervention services on their IFSPs in a timely manner.

28. A Part C results indicator • Percent of infants and toddlers with IFSPs who demonstrate improved positive social-emotional skills (including social relationships).

29. A Part B compliance indicator • Percent of children referred by Part C (Early Intervention Services) prior to age three (3), who are found eligible for Part B, and who have an IEP developed and implemented by their third birthdays. 

30. A Part B results indicator • Percent of youth with individualized education programs (IEPs) graduating from high school with a regular diploma compared to percent of all youth in the State graduating with a regular diploma.

31. What it comes down to . . . “What gets counted, counts!”

32. Part C Indicator #4 “Percent of families participating in Part C who report that early intervention services have helped the family a) know their rights, b) effectively communicate their children’s needs, and c) help their children develop and learn.”

33. Part B Indicator #8 “Percent of parents with a child receiving special education services who report that schools facilitated parent involvement as a means of improving services and results for children with disabilities.”

34. What’s new about the parent/family indicators • What is measured is not what parents do but • what early intervention services do to benefit families, and • what schools do to facilitate parent involvement.

35. What’s new about the parent/family indicators • The data must come from parents and families: “Percent of families/parents who report that . . . “

36. National Center for Special Education Accountability Monitoring (NCSEAM) • Assist states to implement Focused Monitoring • Develop survey instruments for states’ use in measuring parents’ and families’ perceptions and involvement in early intervention and special education

37. National Center for Special Education Accountability Monitoring (NCSEAM) • NCSEAM has produced 3 survey instruments: • Parents of children 6-21 receiving special education services • Parents of children 3-5 receiving preschool special education services • Families of children birth to 3 receiving early intervention services

38. Part B items parents agree with most • Teachers are available to speak with me. • Teachers treat me as a team member. • Written information I receive is written in an understandable way.

39. Part B items parents agree with slightly less • All of my concerns and recommendations were documented on the IEP. • I am considered an equal partner with teachers and other professionals in planning my child’s program.

40. Part B items parents agree with considerably less • The school explains what options parents have if they disagree with a decision of the school. • The school gives me choices with regard to services that address my child’s needs.

41. Part B items parents agree with a lot less • I was offered special assistance (such as child care) so that I could participate in the IEP meeting. • I have been asked for my opinion about how well special education services are meeting my child’s needs.

42. Part B items parents agree with least • The school gives parents the help they may need to play an active role in their child's education. • The school offers parents training about special education issues.

43. Schools Facilitate Parent Involvement Schools provide training, supports and accommodations for parents to be knowledgeable & active participants Schools involve parents in program evaluation and accountability Schools inform parents of their options in cases of disagreement Schools address parents’ concerns Schools listen to parents’ ideas Schools give parents information Schools treat parents respectfully School staff are available

44. Threshold item (the “standard”) for Part B “The school explains what options parents have if they disagree with a decision of the school.”

45. Schools Facilitate Parent Involvement Schools provide training, supports and accommodations for parents to be knowledgeable & active participants Schools involve parents in program evaluation and accountability Schools inform parents of their options in cases of disagreement Schools address parents’ concerns Schools listen to parents’ ideas Schools give parents information Schools treat parents respectfully School staff are available

46. Parents report that schools facilitated their involvement Far above threshold 25% At or just above threshold Below threshold Far below threshold

47. What we need professionals to do to move forward in partnerships Schools provide training, supports and accommodations for parents to be knowledgeable & active partners Affirm their support Be Accountable Schools involve parents in program evaluation and accountability Be Amenable to disagreement Schools inform parents of their options in cases of disagreement Be Accommodating Schools address parents’ concerns Be Attuned Schools listen to parents’ ideas Be Authoritative Schools give parents information Be Accepting Schools treat parents respectfully Be Accessible School staff are available

48. Part C Items families agree with most Over the past year, early intervention services have helped me and/or my family: • Do things with and for my child that are good for my child's development. • Understand my child's special needs. • Be more optimistic about my child's future.

49. Part C Items families agree with slightly less Over the past year, early intervention services have helped me and/or my family: • Communicate more effectively with the people who work with my child and my family. • Understand the roles and responsibilities of the people who work with my child and family.

50. Part C Items families agree with a lot less Over the past year, early intervention services have helped me and/or my family: • Know about my child's and family's rights concerning special education services. • Know where to go for help or support to meet my child's needs.