Elementary school teachers to grade parents on the "quality" of their school involvement - their response to requests for school meetings or communication, their children's completion of homework and preparation for tests, their children's absentee and tardy rates and their children's "physical preparation for school," including a good night's sleep and appropriate meals. This will result in the parent rating's — satisfactory, needs improvement, or unsatisfactory as proposed in Florida lawmaker Kelli Stargel's education bill.

What an innovative thinking from Florida (the idea of grading, not the legal part). Parent participation is a large component of the children's education. For too long it is left up to whatever the parent are incline to provide, with little feedback or accountability. This is a great idea for the parents to get in the grading game along with their child. They should really use this feedback to drive their own growth and improvement!

Incidentally when I was touring the Glen Park Elementary school yesterday, the principal proudly show off their parent's star board, which is a form of parent grading system. Each count of parent activity earn them a star sticker, shown on the board in front of the classroom (aggregated to the class, not to individual parent). The class got a reward when the parents have earned enough stars. The students are reportedly quite excited about this star system.

2011.01.26 [education] - comments