Seventy-Five Ideas to Build Parent Involvement and Support

Author: Wherry, J.H.
Publisher: The Parent Institute
Publication Date: 1996
Publication City: Fairfax Station
Publication State: VA
Full text available online at: http://www.parent-institute.com/educator/resources/75ideas/75-ideas.php

Abstract (written by WestEd)

Wherry offers 75 tips for successful parent awareness and involvement. Tips include:

• Ask teachers to make at least two positive phone calls to parents each week and send quick-notes home with students the same day they have performed well on something.
  
• If you can get one-third of a school's parents involved, you can begin to make significant improvements in student achievement.
  
• Provide a brief parent newsletter (one sheet of paper is best). The 30-3-30 rule to keep in mind: 80 percent will spend 30 seconds reading it; 19 percent will spend three minutes; and one percent will spend 30 minutes (your mother!).
  
• Encourage teachers to assign homework that requires talking with someone at home.