New resources to help parents become more involved in children's education

Ministry of Education

New resources to help parents become more involved in children's education

NIAGARA FALLS, ON, Oct. 19  - Two new grants will make it easier for
more parents to become involved with their child's education, Education
Minister Kathleen Wynne announced today.
    "We recognize that parents play a vital role in the development and
education of their child and the success of our schools," said Wynne as she
released the final report of the Interim Parent Involvement Advisory Board.
"That is why we are providing targeted funding to help parents overcome any
challenges they have regarding involvement - so they can better support their
children's learning."
    Parents and their partners are encouraged to be creative in the
development of projects, which could include publishing newsletters in
multiple languages, parent workshops, supporting parents who want to help with
their child's homework or multicultural school events.
    The new Parents Reaching Out grants respond to recommendations in the
Interim Parent Involvement Advisory Board's final report, which was released
today. School councils can submit a proposal on their own or in partnership
with other school councils, parent or community groups. Projects should create
a more welcoming environment for parents who face barriers to becoming
involved in their children's education or school. Provincewide, $1 million has
been made available for this school-based grant. In addition, $750,000 has
been allocated for parent-focused regional and provincial projects that meet
specific criteria. Parent organizations, school boards, non-profit
organizations and others are invited to apply in partnership with parents.
    "These initiatives will continue to build parent capacity at the school,
board, and provincial levels," said Gabrielle Blais, Chair of the Interim
Parent Involvement Advisory Board. "They will enable parents to learn from
each other and to reach out to those parents who, for a variety of reasons,
have found school involvement challenging."
    Gregg Dame, a parent in the District School Board of Niagara and former
member of the Interim Parent Involvement Advisory Board said, "These grants
will help hard-to-reach parents become more involved in Niagara schools. The
region will be able to hold more parent workshops, publish more newsletters in
more languages, and even provide support to parents who want to help with
their child's homework."
    The new grants respond to one of the commitments in the Parent
Involvement Policy, which was released in December 2005. Other initiatives
aimed at creating a more welcoming environment for parents in the education
system include:

    
    -  Creating the Parent Engagement Office created in January 2006 to
       support provincial efforts to facilitate effective parent involvement
       in the school system;
    -  Launching the Parent section on the Ministry of Education website
       gives parents access to useful news and resources including "Involving
       Parents in the School: Tips for School Councils"; and
    -  Establishing Parent Involvement Committees at the board level to give
       parents a voice at the board level and provide a direct link to the
       Director of Education and trustees.

    "We value the important contribution that all parents make to their
child's education and Ontario's schools," said Wynne. "Engaging more parents
in education will help us to reach every student."

    Disponible en français

                              www.edu.gov.on.ca
                           www.ontario.ca/progress

    Backgrounder
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           HELPING PARENTS BECOME MORE INVOLVED IN THEIR CHILDREN'S
                                  EDUCATION
    
Contact Info

    Parents play a vital role in the development and education of their
children and in the success of Ontario's schools.

    New Funding to Support Parent Involvement

    Parents Reaching Out Grants for Schools:
    ----------------------------------------

    Provincewide, $1 million is now available to school councils for projects
that help parents who face challenges in getting involved in their child's
education. This could include parents who:
    
    -  have recently settled in Canada,
    -  whose first language is neither English or French,
    -  face socio-economic or physical challenges.
    
    School councils may submit a project proposal on their own or in
partnership with other school councils, parent or community groups.
    Application packages will be distributed to school boards across Ontario
and are available for download by following the "Parents" links on the
Ministry of Education's website (www.edu.gov.on.ca). Applications for 2006-07
projects must be submitted no later than November 21, 2006.
    Parents and their partners are encouraged to be creative in the
development of projects, which could include publishing newsletters in
multiple languages, parent workshops, supporting parents who want to help with
their child's homework or multicultural school events.

    Parents Reaching Out Grants for Regional or Provincial projects:
    ----------------------------------------------------------------

    A total of $750,000 is available to support regional and provincial
projects aimed at enhancing parent involvement. Activities must fall under at
least one of the following categories:
    1) contributing to student success,
    2) creating a culture in which parents are partners,
    3) ensuring schools and school boards are welcoming for parents, and
    4) providing parent training and skill-building.

    Parent organizations are encouraged to apply. Ontario school boards and
school authorities, non-profit organizations, volunteer-sector associations
and Ontario postsecondary institutions can also apply in partnership with
parents.

    2006-07 Base Funding for Parent Involvement
    -------------------------------------------

    As it did in 2005-06, the government is providing each school council
with $500 to assist with parent communication and other parent engagement
efforts. School boards have been asked to allocate this funding at the school
level, on top of any existing allocation they provide to school councils.
School councils will approve expenditures for activities funded with this
allocation.

    2006-07 Funding for Parent Involvement Committees
    -------------------------------------------------

    School boards will also receive $5,000 (plus $0.17 per student) to
support Parent Involvement Committee activities at the board level, including
district meetings and communication in schools.

    Interim Parent Involvement Advisory Board

    In November 2004, the Parent Voice in Education Project was created to
make recommendations on the establishment of an independent, representative,
provincewide body that would be accountable to parents. They held public
meetings in early 2005 and based their final recommendations on over 1,150
submissions from parents and parent organizations.
    The minister asked members of the Parent Voice in Education Project to
act as the Interim Parent Involvement Advisory Board and to provide advice on
choosing members of the Provincial Parent Board and the establishment of grant
programs for school councils, and regional and provincial projects.
    The board was composed of 16 parents representing regions across Ontario
who had demonstrated expertise in parent leadership.

    Parent Involvement Policy

    In December 2005, the government announced a new provincial Parent
Involvement Policy to make it easier for all parents to participate in their
child's education and future success.
    The policy provides direction to the Minister of Education, the ministry,
school boards, schools and their staff to create conditions, attitudes and
supports for parents to engage in their child's education.
    The provincial Parent Engagement Office was created in January 2006 to
support provincial efforts to facilitate effective parent involvement in the
school system.

    Disponible en français

    
                              www.edu.gov.on.ca
                           www.ontario.ca/progress