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Illinois School Board Journal
November/December 2006

Touting NCLB initiatives benefits parents, districts

by Louis Piconi

Louis Piconi is CEO of Apangea Learning, maker of SmartHelp, which integrates artificial intelligence with one-on-one human tutors: www. apangealearning.com.

It comes as no surprise to many of us in the education industry that parents are unaware of the options available to their children through the No Child Left Behind Act. But critics of education may be unfair to blame this lack of awareness on school leadership.

Anytime districts choose a technology or approach supported by NCLB funds, they take a risk on something new. That risk is even greater when districts turn to a one-size-fits-all approach. Without taking into account differences between districts, such initiatives often fail.

Failure of NCLB-funded projects creates an education community largely squeamish about communicating the vast benefits that NCLB can bring. The result, in turn, is an overwhelming apathy about NCLB among parents.

Apangea, makers of a learning system that integrates artificial intelligence with human tutors, recently found 78 percent of parents surveyed are unaware that students in schools labeled as "in need of improvement" are eligible for free tutoring through NCLB.

The survey, which focused specifically on tutoring, asked 309 parents of students ages 11-17 for their opinions about NCLB and available tutoring options. The survey showed 77 percent believe their children would spend more time on schoolwork if they had access to computerized tutoring plus unscheduled live tutor availability anytime; 98 percent were unaware that schools can use such a format, often with NCLB funding.

Lack of awareness regarding NCLB benefits may correlate to an overall lack of enthusiasm about NCLB: 72 percent of parents surveyed were unsure or unenthusiastic about NCLB's impact on their students. In addition, current statistics from the U.S. Department of Education show only 17 percent of students eligible for free NCLB tutoring actually receive it.

If better communication existed, perhaps those numbers would be higher.

Does parent information matter?

Informed parents are more involved. And parent satisfaction levels with their schools tend to improve as their involvement goes up. In a 1996 study, the National Household Education Surveys Program asked parents with children in grades 1-12 how strongly they agreed with the following:

• Child's teachers maintain good discipline in the classroom.
• In child's school, most students and teachers respect each other.
• The principal and assistant principal maintain good discipline at child's school.
• Child's school welcomes my family's involvement with the school.
• Child's school makes it easy to be involved there.

Respondents were more likely to agree strongly with these statements if the parents had high involvement in their children's schools.

In addition, according to a 2002 review of research by the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, students with involved parents, no matter what their income or background, are more likely to:

• Earn higher grades and test scores, and enroll in higher-level programs
• Be promoted, pass their classes and earn credits
• Attend school regularly
• Have better social skills, show improved behavior and adapt well to school
• Graduate and go on to post-secondary education

Improved college entrance statistics, improved grades and test scores all reflect well on a school district and represent the key metrics on which parents measure a district's success.

Despite the best intentions of NCLB policymakers and school districts themselves, however, recent research from the Department of Education has shown that opportunities for parents to get involved are not always made available by the school — especially in the student's later years.

Communication can turn the tide, but how can you communicate NCLB initiatives?

Before you communicate … make NCLB-driven initiatives fit your district and your students.

Create solutions with your school district's unique requirements in mind. Don't let vendors tell you that their one-size-fits-all model will work for your school. If they want to take your students and be left alone until they have some results to show, be suspicious. You have specific teachers, known students and state standards that may not work well with every available program.

The key is to find a program that is flexible enough to meet these needs, whether it's differentiated instruction, multi-lingual support or a focus on developing skills rather than memorization of rote facts. As tutoring specialists, we have found that the best programs focus on the development of skills. If students can improve their skills, the test results will follow. The best programs are kept within your district's control.

Take charge … but make it work for parents.

Parents want you in charge, but they also want you to make the program work for them. In the Apangea survey, when asked about one-on-one tutoring options, only 17 percent of parents felt that scheduled tutor time at a learning center or during scheduled Internet sessions would be a viable option for their child's schedule. However, when linked to an after-school program or when delivered over the Internet for use anytime/anywhere, parents were much more enthusiastic, with 83 percent selecting these options.

Many parents applaud the accountability brought about by NCLB, but they are still confused about what is available. Parents are concerned about their children's education and they want to be a part of the solution; they just need it to be easier to be involved. Schools can expect to benefit most from programs that work both at schools and at home, which can also help with the cost and scheduling barriers that many families face in helping their students access new school programs.

Start communicating … now!

Parents will almost certainly help make your program successful if you are clearly involved as well, and if you share as much about the programs as you can. Don't allow vendors to give presentations about the latest NCLB-funded program. Your district's internal team should present it, showing how it integrates with everything you're doing to meet the needs of your students. If you use a vendor or a technology to achieve these goals, absolutely bring it front and center, but don't get upstaged. This is your baby!

Communication ideas to start today

Here are some things your district can begin doing today to help parents understand NCLB initiatives:

• Hold parent meetings. Have a night focused on NCLB initiatives and all the positive things you're doing to launch yours. This is a great place to gather any feedback from parents so you'll know what they're thinking.
• Flyers and letters. Send NCLB-related letters or flyers home with your students, "The Truth about NCLB and How It Works for Your Child" could be a title, with examples from your district. And make certain you post this information on your Web site as well.
• Internal communication. Make certain the teachers and staff know about each NCLB initiative, too. Remind them that a positive approach is what will help it succeed.
• Talk to the media. When you have a program that's working, invite the local media to come take a look. Don't forget television: broadcasters love to share what's happening in the classrooms with local viewers.
• Get it from the students' mouths. If the program is something the students respond well to, be sure to get some quotes and publish them wherever you can: in newsletters, on the Web, through letters and all your other communications vehicles.

When we all get behind NCLB, the dollars spent will translate into success. You need parents for this, and you need to communicate with them to make it happen. By communicating regularly throughout the school year, you can help your program to succeed for everyone.