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2016 PDK Opinion Poll on the Nation’s Public Schools Underscores Need for Improved Family Engagement
ALEXANDRIA, Va., (Aug. 31, 2016)—Yesterday, Phi Delta Kappa International (PDK) released the results from the 2016 Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools. Among the topics covered, the need to improve family engagement in education and strengthen family-school partnerships is demonstrated by the findings of the survey.
In the poll, Americans and parents were asked their satisfaction with school efforts to keep them informed and give them opportunities to offer their opinions and input.
- 55% of parents responded that they would like to be kept more informed about how their child is doing in school.
- 51% of parents indicated they would like to be invited to visit their child’s school more often to see what is going on.
- 56% of parents replied that they would like to be given more opportunities to offer their opinions and provide input on how things are done in their child’s school.
The poll also showed a strong relationship between family engagement and school satisfaction. Parents who rated their schools positively on keeping them informed, offering them opportunities to provide input and showing interest in their input gave their schools an A or B grade overall.
“One of National PTA’s founding principles—and continued top priority—is its dedication to ensuring families are engaged in education, families and schools work together, and families have a seat at the table when decisions are made that impact their children and schools,” said Laura Bay, president of National PTA. “The PDK poll underscores the importance of prioritizing family engagement and family-school partnerships, which are proven to advance children’s learning and growth, increase student achievement and positively impact school improvement efforts.”
The findings from the poll come as states and school districts are working to create new education plans to implement the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)—the new federal law governing K-12 education. ESSA provides an important opportunity for states, districts and schools to improve family engagement and strength family-school partnerships as it requires that parents are meaningfully consulted in the development and implementation of the new education plans.
“Families play an important role in the successful implementation of ESSA and ensuring that all children receive a quality education by providing their input and holding states and districts accountable,” said Nathan R. Monell, CAE, National PTA executive director. “National PTA remains committed to working with families, educators, administrators, policymakers and other stakeholders to make certain family engagement is prioritized in ESSA and beyond. Systematic and sustained efforts to integrate families into the fabric of our schools is key to their success and our children and our nation’s future.”
About National PTA
National PTA® comprises millions of families, students, teachers, administrators, and business and community leaders devoted to the educational success of children and the promotion of family engagement in schools. PTA is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit association that prides itself on being a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for families and communities, and a strong advocate for public education. Membership in PTA is open to anyone who wants to be involved and make a difference for the education, health, and welfare of children and youth.
Media Contact
Heidi May Wilson, National PTA
2016-2018 School of Excellence Recipients
On behalf of National PTA President Laura Bay and National PTA Programs Chair Teresa Williams:
We are excited to share the attached list of 2016-2018 School of Excellence recipients. Recipients will be notified Wednesday (August 31) via email. We encourage State PTA Leaders to also reach out to those in your state to extend your personal congratulations. We have celebration tools available at PTA.org/StateExcellenceLibrary to help spread the good news of the School of Excellence recipients in your state.
Here is the timeline for National PTA’s School of Excellence celebrations:
- Wednesday, August 31: National PTA will send an email message to each of the recipients congratulating them on their achievement and sharing a special video message from President Laura Bay. In the email, recipients will gain access to the digital Celebration Kit.
- Thursday, September 1: National PTA will distribute a news release announcing the School of Excellence recipients and promoting a Facebook LIVE event at 12 p.m. EDT, Friday, September 9, during which the Phoebe Apperson Hearst Award recipients will be announced and program results will be shared. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for messages and graphics to share or retweet. Please use #PTAProud so we can capture your posts.
2016 DESE Regional Meetings on Education
2016 Regional Meetings on Education
Join us for an engaging conversation about what you think matters most in Missouri public education. Please encourage administrators, principals, teachers, parents, students, business leaders and community members to participate. An RSVP is appreciated.
Southwest Flyer
Bolivar High School Cafeteria
DATE/TIME: September 6 at 6:00 p.m. (RSVP)
Northeast Flyer
Kirksville High School Cafeteria
DATE/TIME: September 7 at 6:00 p.m. (RSVP)
Central Flyer
Fulton High School Commons
DATE/TIME: September 8 at 6:00 p.m. (RSVP)
Northwest Flyer
Oak Grove Elementary School Commons – St. Joseph
DATE/TIME: September 15 at 6:00 p.m. (RSVP)
South Central Flyer
Salem Upper Elementary Cafeteria
DATE/TIME: September 19 at 6:00 p.m. (RSVP)
West Central Flyer
Smith-Cotton High School Cafeteria – Sedalia
DATE/TIME: September 20 at 6:00 p.m. (RSVP)
Kansas City Region Flyer
Blue Springs South High School Cafeteria/Commons
DATE/TIME: September 21 at 6:00 p.m. (RSVP)
St. Louis Region Flyer
Pattonville High School Cafeteria – Maryland Heights
DATE/TIME: September 28 at 6:00 p.m. (RSVP)
National PTA and LifeLock Help Parents With Back-To-School To-Do List With “The Smart Talk”
Free online tool helps families set technology ground rules as more kids go digital
- The majority of children receive their first smartphone between the ages of 8 and 121
- Written agreements tend to have a higher success rate than verbal agreements
- A child’s identity and well-being can be compromised by their online behavior
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., (Aug. 25, 2016)—Everyone knows about the inevitable “birds and the bees” talk between parents and their kids, but what about the “texts and the tweets?” That’s another “talk” that’s rising in importance, especially during the back-to-school season when parents prep their kids with the latest gear and gadgets. National PTA and LifeLock createdThe Smart Talk—a free, online tool to help families set ground rules for technology use and have open, ongoing conversations about online safety and responsibility.
The creation of The Smart Talk is part of a two-year collaboration between LifeLock, Inc. (NYSE: LOCK), a leader in proactive identity theft protection, and National PTA, the nation’s oldest and largest child advocacy association, that’s aimed to encourage families to have an open, ongoing conversation about making positive, safe decisions online.
“In the fast-moving digital world, a child’s identity and well-being can be compromised by their online behavior,” said LifeLock CEO Hilary Schneider, a mother of three. “As digital natives, today’s kids need to learn the rules of the road for navigating life online. Many parents find the idea of having the technology talk overwhelming because they don’t know what topics to even begin to cover.”
Technology is playing an ever-increasing role in families’ lives and is increasingly being used for teaching and learning. The majority of children receive their first smart phone between the ages of 8 and 12, according to a 2015 LifeLock1 survey. While 79% of families have technology agreements with their children, only 6% of those are written, which tend to have a higher success rate than verbal ones among families that report having technology agreements1.
The Smart Talk engages kids and parents in an interactive experience, leading them through a guided conversation about five key areas:
- Online safety and privacy
- Screen time
- Apps and downloads
- Texting and calling
- Social media and respect
Families then create a personalized agreement that can be stored on a computer or printed and posted at home.
“Technology has opened up a world of opportunities in every aspect of life and is essential for the development of skills children need to thrive. As parents, we want our children to learn and have fun through technology, and at the same time, stay safe and develop healthy lifestyles,” said National PTA President Laura Bay, a mother of three. “The Smart Talk brings families together for productive conversations about devices and technology use to help children build good digital habits and ensure they have the skills they need to be safe and responsible online.”
Parents looking to begin the conversation today can visit The Smart Talk website and review this quick guide to get started. More information is available on The Smart Talk Facebook page and YouTube channel.
1Commissioned study conducted by ResearchNow on behalf of LifeLock, adults 18 and older were surveyed online between July 20-24, 2015
About National PTA
National PTA® comprises millions of families, students, teachers, administrators, and business and community leaders devoted to the educational success of children and the promotion of family engagement in schools. PTA is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit association that prides itself on being a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for families and communities, and a strong advocate for public education. Membership in PTA is open to anyone who wants to be involved and make a difference for the education, health and welfare of children and youth.
About LifeLock
LifeLock, Inc. (NYSE:LOCK) is a leading provider of proactive identity theft protection services for consumers and fraud and risk management solutions for enterprises. LifeLock’s threat detection, proactive identity alerts, and comprehensive remediation services help provide peace of mind for consumers amid the growing threat of identity theft. Leveraging unique data, science and patented technology from ID Analytics, Inc., a wholly -owned subsidiary, LifeLock offers identity theft protection that goes beyond credit monitoring. As part of its commitment to help fight identity theft, LifeLock works to train law enforcement and partners with a variety of nonprofit organizations to help consumers establish positive habits to combat this threat.
Media Contacts:
Jeff Davis & Sydney Brown
LifeLock, Inc.
Heidi May Wilson
National PTA