| Public education in the United States has | | | | during the high school years. Ask the |
| never been equal for all students. It | | | | teacher and principal if these tests will |
| appears that those school districts located | | | | align with state standards. |
| in wealthy communities have a bit more | | | | |
| resources than those in poorer communities. | | | | 6. Discuss with your principal how you as a |
| Today more than ever, parents need to step up | | | | parent can assist your child in meeting or |
| to the plate and learn how the educational | | | | exceeding the state academic standards. |
| system works. It is imperative that parents | | | | Request that your principal use Title I |
| no longer leave the decisions made around the | | | | Parent Involvement funds to offer training |
| education of children solely in the hands of | | | | for parents interested in helping their |
| bureaucratswho likely have no children in the | | | | children improve academically. |
| school district and/or may not even live in | | | | |
| the community. | | | | 7. Parents will also want to know if |
| | | | teachers receive test results in a timely |
| Below are ten things parents must do before | | | | fashion so that they can be used to improve |
| enrolling their child in any school public or | | | | instruction. |
| private. | | | | |
| | | | 8. What is your school district doing about |
| 1. Get a copy of your states academic | | | | test anxiety? One of the best ways to reduce |
| standards. Academic standards are open and | | | | test anxiety is to make sure students are |
| public statements detailing what all children | | | | well prepared with the concepts, skills and |
| should know and be able to do in each state. | | | | knowledge on which they will be tested. |
| A typical writing standard, for example, | | | | |
| states that all students should be able to | | | | 9. Parent must contact their principal to |
| pre-write, draft, edit and revise. Students | | | | find out how student achievement levels |
| progress through these stages to write, | | | | compare to other districts, and states, by |
| clear, coherent and focused paragraphs and | | | | subject and student group. |
| essays. State standards should be available | | | | |
| on your states website and may be divided by | | | | 10. Parent must always contact their state |
| grade level or subject. | | | | legislator if they are not satisfied with |
| | | | school funding. You put them in office to |
| 2. Schedule a time when your childs teacher | | | | work for you. Its about time you now hold |
| can review these standards with you. | | | | them accountable. |
| | | | |
| 3. Check your childs homework and class work | | | | The reality is that parents are their childs |
| to see if it aligns with the state academic | | | | first teacher and if parents are stumbling |
| standards. | | | | through the educational maze they will not do |
| | | | a good job of making sure they are providing |
| 4. Ask the principal to hold a parent | | | | the best education possible for their child. |
| meeting to discuss the state academic | | | | Parents must know what questions to ask and |
| standards and explain how standardized test | | | | what answers should be received. No longer |
| evaluate what children are learning or not | | | | can we rest on our laurels, work fifty or |
| learning in alignment with state standards. | | | | sixty hours a week and expect others to |
| | | | assure our students achievement. Knowledge |
| 5. Beginning in 2005-06, all schools will | | | | is power, and that has never been more true |
| measure student achievement yearly in reading | | | | than today. |
| and math in grades 3-8, and at least once | | | | |