In conclusion, can our schools and districts rely on One-Size-Fits-All parent involvement? Of course not, schools need parent empowerment. As school leaders, we face the complexity of how to increasingly engage and increase parental involvement in public schools. Currently, city, state and federal lawmakers reexamine school funding sources based upon schools’ accountability; options like school choice, charter schools, specialized schools and vouchers provide options for parents seeking the best educational programs for their children and consequently making it more competitive for public schools to close the achievement gap with higher percentages of students consisting of families with low socioeconomic status, disabilities and language barriers. In the book, Parents as Talent Developers: Essential Parenting Tools of Exceptional Parents by James Reed Campbell and Brenda Harewood, the authors state, “part of the reason for the ultimate success of these charter schools is that the parents really believe these schools will help their children get a decent education.”…show more content… The interviews with high-performing students revealed that family support plays a significant role in the academic performance of children. The parents described in the interviews espoused a strong commitment to education, an expectation that their children will perform well, and a desire to see their children to be active participants in society. In the example of parent engagement at a high performing charter school, we also found that the school’s administration provided consistent communication and outreach to parents to keep them informed and to solicit participation. This communication campaign has resulted in strong parent-teacher associations, successful school events, and a wide range of student opportunities upon
