Family literacy: Get involved in your kids' learning

The latest trend in educational excellence is parental engagement. Schools are struggling with how to get parents to even come through the door, much less be truly involved. It is particularly difficult for adults who didn't have good experiences when they were students or those who are unfamiliar with the U.S. education system.

But a model for true parental engagement does exist, and it's been evolving and innovating for 30 years family literacy.

It is the most important step communities and schools can take to help parents leverage their important role into meaningful change and improvement. There are some who believe striving for parental involvement is too difficult a task and that parents are not interested in being involved in their children's education. This is far from the truth.

There are thousands of family literacy sites across the country where parents come to their children's school daily or weekly.

The family literacy model has transformed lives. For the past 20 years, the National Center for Family Literacy and Toyota have worked together to create, duplicate and innovate model laboratories of learning in 50 cities across the country. Multiple generations come together to learn, and the benefit extends to the entire family and community. Such is the case in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, where three different literacy programs dating to 1992 have been implemented.

Over the past 20 years, this partnership has improved the education and economic attainment of more than 1 million U.S. families. These families face some of the biggest hurdles to improving educational outcomes. Nearly 60 percent of the parents have less than a 10th grade education.

National research verifies the success of family literacy priorities and programs:

A mother's reading skill is the greatest determinant of her children's future academic success, outweighing other factors, such as neighborhood and family income (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development).

Children who have parents who help them learn to read score 10 points higher on standardized reading tests (NCFL research).

NCFL's work with Hispanic/Latino and other immigrant families in 30 cities through the Toyota Family Literacy Program has experienced extraordinary outcomes in English language and literacy development, parent involvement and engagement, literacy behaviors at home, and school-related attitudes.

The proven track record is here. The question then becomes: How do communities and schools effectively implement family literacy?

First, public and private partnerships should be leveraged to develop approaches that work. Private resources present the best opportunities to fuel innovation. In addition, seed money from private sources encourages collaboration.

Second, existing resources must be focused on a family approach to education for Hispanic learners nationwide. Programs to help parents gain basic academic and English skills in the context of helping their children are proving to be successful with high participation among parents and promising results.

Third, strategies must be developed to increase parental leadership. Parental involvement is a key predictor of a child's success. However, parents who have less education are more likely to find schools intimidating. Taking the time for a phone call or visit can make all the difference.

Communication is the start toward comprehensive parental involvement. Ongoing communication and teamwork between teachers and parents result in students who are continuously motivated and supported in their education.

Fourth, family literacy should be incorporated into existing services. Educational efforts should embrace an intergenerational approach by connecting family literacy to all child-serving agencies, such as school districts, Head Start programs and faith-based program initiatives.

By taking these steps, parents will become more active in their children's education, and a successful 21st-century community and work force will result.

Sharon Darling is president and founder of the National Center for Family Literacy.

By Sharon Darling