Parent Engagement: Do you have a policy on that?
By Myrdin Thompson
As parents we don't often rigidly define what "engagement" in our child's educational experience looks like. For some, parent engagement is making sure that their child has been fed, clothed, and made it to school on time. For others, being engaged means spending time in our child's school or classroom, attending a field trip, or volunteering to serve on a PTA/PTO/parent board or be the dedicated "band booster" fundraising officer. While many states and school districts have policies that encourage and support parents as partners in public education, there are some states that don't have a specific policy. Perhaps they aren't quite sure what "engagement" means either. According to Kentucky Revised Statutes, Chapter 158, Section 158.645 "[t]he General Assembly recognizes that public education involves shared responsibilities. State government, local communities, parents, students, and school employees must work together to create an efficient public school system. Parents and students must assist schools with efforts to assure student attendance, preparation for school, and involvement in learning. The cooperation of all is