Report calls for update of parent councils
October 31, 2011
Kristin Rushowy
EDUCATION REPORTER
Parent councils across Ontario, originally intended to improve student achievement, have evolved into something quite different, says a report to be released Monday.
As a result, provincial policy that governs them needs updating, say the report’s authors, People for Education.
Parents mostly see the councils as a way to communicate with families, promote school safety, encourage healthy initiatives — and fundraise, said executive director Annie Kidder.
“By focusing on communicating with parents and home- and community-building through social events, school councils appear to be carving out a different role for themselves than was originally intended,” says the report, based on a survey of parent councils across Ontario.
The original mandate said the purpose of councils is to “improve pupil achievement” and “enhance the accountability of the education system to parents.”
The organization’s report comes just days after New York’s education department announced a pilot project, starting in November, to evaluate a handful of schools based on factors such as how involved are parents and their experiences in meetings with teachers.
The New York department has also plans to give its paid parent coordinators more clout and to begin a parent academy that offers sessions for families to help their children at school.
The Toronto District School Board already has a parent academy in some inner-city schools, with workshops on student success as well as information on how the education system works.
The People for Education report shows that parent councils, also referred to as school councils, spend a lot of time fundraising.
It also found parent participation in council meetings varies greatly across the province. At some meetings, no parents show up, while others boast standing-room only crowds of 60.
While Kidder praised councils for their “wonderful work” and how they help build a sense of community within a school, she said attendance at meetings shouldn’t be a focus.
“It’s not really what makes a difference for students,” she said. “What parents do at home is the thing that has the biggest impact on students. So there needs to be ways to support that role.”