Reflections on the New Academic Year By Presidents & Experts
Greetings from NYS Associate Commissioner Sheila Evans-Tranumn
Parents and families are the first and most important educators of children. Active engagement by parents and families is vital to improving academic achievement and overall school performance. These principles serve as the cornerstone of the New York State Board of Regents policy to improve student achievement and school performance through promoting parent and family partnerships. To implement this policy, the Board of Regents has committed to working to ensure that:
• parents and families are fully engaged in and contribute to the academic development of their child and to the school’s learning environment;
• schools and districts inform parents of their rights and responsibilities;
• schools and districts create opportunities for parents and families to support academic achievement and;
• each school board develop and implement comprehensive parent partnerships.
For more than three decades, researchers have reported a strong connection between parental involvement and academic gains. Parents who are actively involved in their children’s education create learning environments that encourage and stimulate children at home and reinforce their learning at school. When parents move “beyond the bake sale” to authentic engagement and shared decision-making, they help to transform schools into better learning communities.
This promises to be a challenging school year. Schools and districts, under tight fiscal pressures, are seeking innovative ways to maintain services. Now more than ever, schools should provide parents with information on what are the best research-based approaches for how parents can help their children learn. We must continue to seek collaborations with community and faith-based organizations; local and state agencies; businesses and universities; museums and libraries to build partnerships with families.
On behalf of the New York State Board of Regents and the New York State Education Department, I want to welcome you to another year of building connections between your homes and your schools.#
