WASHINGTON – With the support of the Delaware PTA, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) has re-introduced the bipartisan Family Engagement in Education Act, aimed at helping schools and families work together to support learning and raise student achievement. The legislation, which was led by U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-R.I.), seeks to promote and strengthen meaningful family engagement policies and programs at the national, state, and local levels to ensure that all students are on track to be career and college-ready.
Research demonstrates that family engagement in a child’s education increases student achievement, improves attendance, and reduces dropout rates. A study by Anne Seitsinger and Steven Brand at the University of Rhode Island’s Center for School Improvement and Educational Policy found that students whose parents support their education through learning activities at home and discuss the importance of education perform better in school. And the importance of family engagement begins even before a child enters school. For example, Scholastic’s recent Kids and Family Reading Report found that among children ages 6-11, 60 percent of frequent readers—those who read 5-7 days per week for fun—were read to aloud by a parent 5-7 times per week before they entered kindergarten.
“It’s no secret that students strive harder and perform better when families are actively engaged in their education,” Senator Coons said. “We can create a brighter future for our youth by ensuring that educators, community organizations, and family members have the resources they need to work together effectively. This legislation will help more families become and remain a driving force in their children’s academic success.”
“Delaware PTA encourages Congress to pass this important piece of legislation,” Delaware PTA Vice President for Advocacy Yvonne Johnson said. “With parents and teachers working together to ensure that children are able to explore their full potential, the possibilities are endless. We owe it to our children to give them the best possible chance of success in life, and that starts with an open line of communication about a child’s development in the classroom and at home. Delaware PTA, as well as National PTA, has seen firsthand how powerful that partnership can be, which is why we have been and continue to be tremendous supporters of this piece of legislation.”
Representative Glenn Thompson (R-PA-5) has introduced the House companion to this bipartisan bill
The Family Engagement in Education Act would empower parents by doubling school district resources dedicated to family engagement activities from one to two percent of the district’s Title I allocation from the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. It will also improve the quality of family engagement practices at the school level by requiring school districts to develop and implement standards-based policies and practices for family-school partnerships. In addition, the bill will build state and local capacity for effective family engagement in education by setting aside at least 0.3 percent of the state Title I allocation for statewide family engagement in education activities, such as establishing statewide family engagement centers to continue and enhance the work that has been supported through local Parent Information Resource Centers.
For states with Title I-A allocations above $60 million, grants will be provided to at least one local family engagement in education center to provide innovative programming and services, such as leadership training and family literacy. At the national level, the legislation will require the Secretary of Education to convene practitioners, researchers, and other experts in the field of family engagement in education to develop recommended metrics for measuring the quality and outcomes of family engagement in a child’s education.
This bill was developed with input from the National Family, School, and Community Engagement Working Group, which includes organizations such as the National PTA, United Way Worldwide, the Harvard Family Research Project, and the National Council of La Raza, and is endorsed by hundreds of local, state, and national organizations.