Partnering with Parents

As educators, we know that student success flourishes when partnering with parents to create supportive learning environments. First and foremost, it’s essential to recognize why parent involvement matters so much in education. When families actively engage in their children’s learning journey, we consistently see remarkable improvements in student performance. Not only do grades tend to improve, but we also observe enhanced classroom behavior and a stronger sense of community within the school.

Support Parents at Home

Most parents deeply want to support their children’s learning journey – they simply need flexible, practical ways to do so.

While a parent may not be available to volunteer in the classroom, she might actively support her child’s learning by reading together before bedtime and reviewing homework during breakfast. This kind of home-based involvement is valuable and as educators, we can nurture such engagement by providing parents with specific strategies and resources they can use at home.

A parent might feel uncertain about their ability to support their children’s learning effectively, especially as curriculum and teaching methods have evolved since their own school days. By providing simple guides, video tutorials, posters or even brief phone consultations, teachers can help parents feel more confident in supporting their children’s learning journey.

Recognizing that meaningful parent partnerships extend far beyond classroom volunteering. When we expand our vision of parent involvement to include home-based support, we open up countless opportunities for families to engage in their children’s education. This might mean helping parents create effective homework routines, suggesting educational games they can play during car rides, or sharing conversation starters that reinforce classroom learning during dinner time discussions.

Clear, consistent communication becomes the bridge between school and home learning environments. Rather than overwhelming parents with general requests for help, we can offer specific, actionable suggestions tailored to their circumstances. For instance, sharing weekly learning objectives with simple home-based reinforcement activities allows parents to align their support with classroom instruction, even if they can’t be physically present at school.

Partner with Parents at School in Academic and Career Initiatives

First impressions matter significantly. Consider how your school’s and classroom’s physical spaces communicate a welcoming yet professional message. When a someone enters the building, is there clear and friendly signage directing visitors to the office? What are the policies and procedures for vetting and checking in volunteers?

Beyond the physical space, strong communication channels help maintain parent engagement. At the beginning of the school year, send a personalized welcome letter to parents. Regularly, schedule informal meet-and-greet opportunities. Consistently send updates about classroom activities as well as guidelines for upcoming volunteer opportunities.

Rather than simply asking for generic help, consider creating structured roles that match parents’ skills and interests.

For parents with strong subject knowledge, small group tutoring may provide a way to support student learning. A parent tutoring program might involve:

• Providing clear guidelines and materials
• Establishing feedback systems to track progress

Beyond academic support, parents can bring valuable real-world experience to our classrooms by:

• Sharing industry insights through engaging presentations
• Organizing workplace field trips
• Creating structured mentoring, internships and apprenticeship programs

Furthermore, these interactions often inspire students to explore career paths they might not have considered otherwise. Successful parent partnerships require ongoing support. Remember to recognize parent contributions.

Ensure Safety and Security in Parent Partnerships

While building strong parent partnerships is essential, protecting students must always come first. Every school district needs comprehensive volunteer screening procedures, regardless of how well we know our parent community. These safety measures not only protect students but also maintain a professional and secure volunteer environment.

BEFORE parents begin volunteering, schools should ensure:

• BACKGROUND CHECK procedures
• Comprehensive VOLUNTEER TRAINING should include:

• • Child protection policies and procedures
  • Emergency response protocols
  • Appropriate adult-student interaction guidelines
  • Reporting procedures for concerns

Background screening and training helps parents feel more confident in their roles while ensuring consistent safety standards throughout the school community.

Professional Development Opportunity

Partnering with parents to create effective relationships takes time and dedication, but the results are well worth the effort. To deepen your understanding of parent partnerships, consider enrolling in our online continuing education course: “Partnering with Parents.” This course offers strategies and practical tools for building strong school-family relationships.

2022 Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in July 2015 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
2024 Editor’s Note: This post has been updated in October 2024 to suggest new and current practices in building successful partnerships with parents. 

About the Author
Ellen Paxton is a respected expert in education and best known as the Chief Learning Officer of Professional Learning Board. As a two-time National Board Certified Teacher, Ellen has successfully published and customized online professional development courses and Learning Management Systems for 20 years to help teachers meet their state continuing education renewal credit requirements. Through ProfessionalLearningBoard.com, RenewaTeachingLicense.com, and ConnectedPD.com. Ellen has established solutions and maintained partnerships with several accredited universities, higher education institutions, teachers’ unions and state Departments of Education while setting strategic direction that makes a difference and overseeing implementation of popular online PD.