Shared Decision-making Can Help Students
The following column first appeared in a number of APG of East Central Minnesota newspapers during March, 2022, including but limited to the Morrison County Record.
Shared decision-making can help students
More involvement by families, educators and students is needed in decision-making. That’s a clear and wise message from a large statewide Minnesota survey and a national study. This can help more students reach their potential, although it takes time and can be abused. Let’s start with two stories.
One of our children attended a public elementary school where she and other sixth-graders showed they were ready for algebra. Their teachers responded.
Then she went to a public junior high that started teaching her math she’d had two years earlier. When some parents approached the educators to explain, initially, educators resisted. Families diplomatically suggested it would have been helpful for elementary and junior high educators to meet to share information about the students’ math preparation.
We focused on solutions, rather than blame. Within two months, revisions were made and the math curriculum was revised to reflect what students were ready for.
Years later, as a parent, I attended a meeting at a public school where decisions were being made about how to spend about $150,000. The school received this money because about 30% of the students were Hmong American and didn’t speak English as a first language and about 50 % of the students were from low-income families.
About 20 Hmong-American parents, students and grandparents came to the meeting. Through a translator, they figured that their students had generated at least 30% of the money, or about $45,000.
They requested two things, totaling $30,000. First, they asked for a person to be hired as an office assistant, for about $25,000, who was a fluent speaker of Hmong and English. Educators acknowledged that no adult in the school spoke Hmong. Families needed someone they could communicate with. They also asked for $5,000 to create after-school classes so that the students and families could learn English more rapidly.
Though several of us supported these recommendations, the educators turned them down. The principal thanked the families for coming to the meeting.
This was not the first time recommendations from Hmong-American families were rejected. Many of these families and friendly educators then decided to set up a charter public school. Both of their suggestions, and many more, were part of the school’s design. (The school is open to all, and enrolls a variety of students, not just Hmong-Americans). Thanks to Minnesota’s public school choice programs, dissatisfied and frustrated families have options.
Hmong Families Urge St Paul Public Schools to Make Curriculum More Inclusive
These stories help illustrate why more involvement of families, as well as educators and students on what’s being taught and how money is spent, can be valuable. A recently released survey focusing on lessons from the pandemic, from the University of Minnesota of more than 18,000 Minnesotan educators, families and students found, among other things, that people “wanted more family and community, teacher/educator and student involvement in decision making.” The survey is here.
A recent national survey found much stronger support for families and educators to be involved in curriculum decisions, rather than governors and state legislators. Learn more here.
Khulia Pringle, Minnesota manager of organizing and outreach for the National Parents Union, agrees. She told me, “It’s important for student and parents to be able to voice their concerns or be critical of materials being taught.”
Denise Specht, president of Education Minnesota, believes, “authentic, two-way communication between students, educators and parents is always appropriate and encouraged.”
This is allowed, in part, under a Minnesota law permitting families to ask for alternative instruction if they object to instructional materials being used. The law is found here.
Kirk Schneidawind, executive director of the Minnesota School Board Association, told me, “We believe the current process works well for our districts and families.”
Another law requires student, educator and family involvement in developing post-high school plans. The statute can be viewed here.
More publicity and attention to how these laws are implemented could be useful. Future columns will discuss them. Reader reactions welcome.
More involvement in decision-making won’t solve all our problems. It can be abused. For example, families can overwhelm schools with requests for information. But on balance, students benefit when families, educators and youngsters share their insights, listen to and learn from each other.
Joe Nathan directs the Center for School Change. Reactions welcome at joe@centerforschoolchange.org or on Twitter, @joenathan9249
March 7, 2022 @ 8:55 am
Joe,
You nailed it!
Our student was pulled from public school when they were not alarmed that all of her assessments placed her on a national 30th percentile.
Parent involvement is the single difference (beside tuition) between public and private. In private, I’m expected to inspect all homework daily and reply to any/all emails sent to me from the school.
Unlike public school, I had a year start meeting with teachers. “What are your goals & how can we support you” were words I never heard from public school.
2 Minutes of compassion would have saved months of disappointment.
I admire your leadership qualities and pray for your continued success.
March 7, 2022 @ 9:07 am
Thanks, Tim. Very sorry district reacted as it did. This kind of thing must change or there will be a continued exodus from disricts.
March 7, 2022 @ 2:36 pm
I think you have hit upon an important issue in this article. Many parents are frustrated and many of those who can are leaving the public schools when their concerns are ignored.
We seem to have another example of the extremes when it comes to the issue of academic content. Often the people arguing this issue have not read the materials and argue based on a belief related to their personal beliefs or their concerns about censorship. The one extreme wants to control the ideas that can be taught, and the arguments against that are obvious.
The arguments against censorship are more complex. A large and more progressive group of parents are objecting to the appropriateness of the material assigned related to the developmental level of their children. They argue that the manner and level of detail with which topics are addressed and many of the materials assigned as required reading are not developmentally appropriate. They argue that the people setting the curriculum and the teachers delivering it are not trained to adequately evaluate the appropriateness of the materials for the age and/or the developmental stage of the students. I believe that a process to address the issue concerning developmental appropriateness is possible and would be good for students, staff and communities.
Holly
March 7, 2022 @ 2:40 pm
Thanks, Holly, I think we need much more nuance in the discussion of family involvement in public schools. For example, I’m a fan of efforts that expand opportunity and an opponent of restricting opportunity.
March 7, 2022 @ 4:15 pm
Parental involvement in their children’s education has become a powerful political issue, driven largely from the Right. This has been important in recent elections, such as the election of the new governor of Virginia. Those of us who support a moderate approach need to be attentive to these issues, addressing parental concerns, while setting guardrails for how far they can impact the settings of their children.;
March 8, 2022 @ 7:40 am
A one time in my life journey my wife and I worked with parents to identify ten behaviors they could work on at home to assist their children to engage in learning at home and at school. We recognized that parents remain a primary factor in energizing inner drives to learn and manage learning. The big question before everyone was and still remains “How Children Learn .” Holt had it nailed. The challenge for teachers and administrators remains “How to Help Parents.” Recognizing they are a primary force should be in the tool box of every education system and before every player in the system. We all need help in addressing learning for every child. Parents as partners can make big differences in unlocking immense potential. My primary concern is “Are we being specific enough in helping parents?” Suggestions are there but “how to ” and “what” seem missing in much of our communication.
March 8, 2022 @ 7:53 am
Thanks, Ray. 100% agree that educators can and should help parents and families understand what they can do at home to help youngsters learn. I also think wise educators will listen to families who have suggestions about how to expand learning opportunities (2 examples cited in the text). Thanks for your decades of service to youth, families, educators and the broader community.
March 8, 2022 @ 10:30 am
Thanks Joe for your thoughtful and optimistic column about involvement in education/learning. I listened the other day to the Minnesota Senate debate an amendment to Minnesota Statute which might assist parents in their desire to become more involved in the education/learning of their children. Opponents seemed to focus on existing avenues already in MN Statute which are not being utilized e.g. Curriculum Advisory Committees. I have worn the hat of a School Board Member, State Senator, Parent, High School teacher, Grandparent and Chaired a Junior High School/Middle School Parent
Advisory Council/Committee. Thanks for all you are doing to advise folks on how to become more involved. Terrific column, Joe.
March 9, 2022 @ 7:23 am
Important article!
Education is a conversation.
March 9, 2022 @ 7:35 am
thanks, Scott. I agree that at best, education is in part, a conversation.
March 10, 2022 @ 8:56 am
I hope some day we will understand education is a conversation.