Checklists
Checklists are a great way to help those who work in special education to review current practices of parent involvement and to create plans to create and sustain partnerships.
Following are checklists to assist your school to enhance strategies to improve and to build relationships among school personnel and parents in your school and school district.
NH Connections suggest that you read through the document. Schedule a time during your team meeting to complete the checklist, compile the data, and create a list of areas to address priority items. Enjoy the process and move your district forward to continue to develop relationships among school personnel and parents while finding ways to improve parent involvement.
Developing a Team Approach for Family and Community Connections with Schools
Begin to initiate collaborative efforts to define the current status of school and family relations. What factors foster or inhibit family and community interactions with the school and its staff? How can we be sure to include special education in the collaborate efforts? Complete this checklist of factors that have been identified in the research on family and community connections with schools as key to promoting family interactions.
Engaging Families at the Secondary Level
Involvement at the secondary level is often much less visible, though just as valuable. Research (Henderson & Mapp, 2002). Check out this list and then build on it.
Family and Community Engagement in Special Education Self-Assessment
Your family and special education community climate impacts student success. Review this checklist to see the level of current practices. Brainstorm on ways to improve your current practices by using this 8 statement checklist as jumping off points for conversations.
How Family Friendly is Your School?
Good question and it can pertain to special education. The special educators in the schools can make a difference to improve family involvement. Learn how this list can help. Review it with your special education team to then create plans to improve the school community and environment.
How Well is Your School Bridging Racial, Class, and Cultural Differences?
As a special education team, you can help your school to promote the understanding of cultural differences to create a welcoming environment for all differences. Take time to review this checklist with your teams to identify areas that can be addressed to bridge differences. One step at a time!
Learning Outside of Schools Family Involvement in Special Education
To support instruction, design effective family and community involvement activities. Build a culture that is inclusive and supportive of family and community involvement.
Starter Event to Engage Parents in Special Education in your District
This is a sample activity that can be used to involve family members. This starter event will create conversations and it will help to build relationships for shared interests.
Starting Points adapted for Special Education
This inventory will help you identify your school’s present practices for each of the six types of involvement that create a comprehensive program of school, family, and community partnerships. This checklist can be completed by a special education team to identify the present practices for each of the six types of involvement as it is related to special education and parents of children with disabilities.
Are You Ready for a Partnership Team for Student Success in Special Education?
What does it take to create an effective Partnership Team for Student Success in Special Education? Use this checklist to understand the strategies to then create an action plan to establish a formal team in your school district.
