More tests, more standards, more rules, and more regulations: This is the language of most educational policy makers and elected officials. Underlying these polices are the beliefs that teachers are the problem, our schools are not working, and that our students can be forced to pass tests and stay in school. Teachers, however, know that this approach does not work and that broad-based parent and family support are critical to any school improvement endeavor. While there are continual calls to increase accountability, merit pay, and greater school controls, none of these initiatives have resulted in any sustained student improvement. Instead, the result has been counterproductive with many teachers and parents becoming more frustrated and alienated from the school change process.
A brief historical review of public education shows that our schools have been held together by a social contract or bond between teachers and parents. Absent this connection, it is unlikely that the current achievement gap will be closed or dropouts reduced. Parent support is essential and parents need to view the education of their children as a top priority. No reform measure can compete with the importance of parents and a strong school-family relationship. The CTA IFT believes that we need to renew and develop this teacher – parent relationship through new and innovative practices that reflect the current economic and social climate. The Early Childhood Education Alliance (ECEA), sponsored by the CTA IFT and partially funded by the Packard Foundation, provides a critical framework to reenergize the school-family relationship. Through the ECEA, a statewide virtual platform will be established to identify and invite P – 14 teachers and parents with school-community stakeholders to co-collaborate on school improvement initiatives that are strength-based and driven by strong teacher-parent relationships. While the focus is on early childhood education, the work of the ECEA will include all P – 14 teachers and school-community stakeholders. Click here to join the ECEA.
