Title I parents, what have you done to improve test scores?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Spinning off a comment in another thread, what are some things parents/pta can do to help the school improve test scores? And how exactly does one go about doing them? I have heard mentions of hiring an extra aide or tutor-- can anyone walk me through the logistics there? Thanks.

Our school did not have an afterschool tutoring program (may have had in past, but not at this point). A parent helped bring one in with funding from the PTA. Still waiting to hear if the first year made a dent in test scores.

Can school get any more unbearable? These kids are studying for tests during the day and now during after school? After an 8 hour day, I think the best thing for kids is to unwind and do something fun. All this test prep is really sucking the enjoyment of school and probably having the opposite effect on low-income kids by making them HATE school if they don't hate it already.

I don't think tutors = unbearable school. A lot of affluent kids go home and get homework help from family members or private tutors. A lot of students are actually happy to receive small group attention; school is a lot more bearable when you are able to keep up.

I think having tutors to say help with homework in afterschool programs would be great. Tutors to drill for a test, not so much.

[Anonymous]

So if the pta has money for tutors or whatever, how does it work? Does the pta give the money to the school? is there some sort of agreement?

[Anonymous]

PTA makes the decision with the school on what they want to fund. Depending on the amount of money the PTA has, the impact can be great. Some schools have 100-200k in PTA funds alone. That could provide a lot for the school that could positively impact test scores.

But most Title 1 schools will not have that sort of money.

Our Title 1 school would be lucky to get 10k a year. That will fund a host of activities for children and teachers throughout the year and hopefully one larger funded project- like a technology purchase, playground improvement, etc.

Hopefully an active PTA, exciting events for the school, and show of community investment will increase the enrollment/desire for the school. The goal being to attract and retain families/ teachers that want to continue to improve the School so that it serves them, and the surrounding community. The goal is definitely to improve test scores, of course. But it is also to meet the needs of the neighborhood community, and that might not always mean test scores are the most important goal.

[Anonymous]

Not about test scores, but more to your question at 14:57:

Some ways PTA time/funds can help the school provide the supports they need:

1) Buyer: Work with the Principal to find non-personnel stuff the PTA can purchase (or get in kind donations) to free up the Principal's budget distribution to add more staff;

2) Employer: The PTA, as a non-profit organization, becomes a legal employer of "extra" staff [need lots of money and support to do it this way legally -- it is no small thing to become an employer and is rather complicated WRT what kinds of positions that are OK to fund this way];

3) Volunteer Coordinator: PTA volunteers coordinate and hustle other volunteers (among parents and community members) for the teachers -- get a list from the teachers of needs and dates, create a sign up genius type calendar of volunteer times and expertise, and fill the ones you can [keep track of those who will need to register with the District and those who won't; use teacher to teacher connections to create partnerships with 'sister schools,' both public and independent].

4) Development Agent: PTA researches and finds grants, partnerships, vendors, companies that require employees to donate a set number of service hours annually, Universities with student teachers, etc. to supply and/or fund the extras that the principal/teachers request. There is a huge amount of money and volunteer time out there for Title I schools -- you have to go get it though. Sign up for Grant Watch, as a starting point.

5) Sponsor: PTA supports teachers in the after school activities teachers are allowed to provide (and for which they get a little extra compensation from DCPS), but for which they can only charge a nominal supply fee to students -- preferably no fee. PTA can help with the nominal supply burden, which may encourage more teachers to spend this extra time running an after school club. Most, if not all of Deal's after school clubs are teacher sponsored this way, but those with heavy admin burdens, like speech and debate, rely on the parents of the students involved to support the effort too.

I think most Title I schools would get the biggest bang for the buck on 5, 4, 1, and 3, in that order, and should avoid 2 at all costs.

Also, I recommend that if you plan to undertake any of these ideas, you contact the PTA presidents of schools like Deal, Mann, Janney, Murch, Hearst, Lafayette, and others, directly for advice. Many of these folks have come to know the ins and outs of DCPS policy and politics way more than they ever wanted to know. Even though they are not Title I schools, there is no need to reinvent the wheel. If there is something you want to do, one of them has probably found a way to do it (and not always by spending a lot of money). They also have probably found options not available to them that would be available to a Title I school, so they might have some good leads for you too.

Hope that helps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not about test scores, but more to your question at 14:57:

Some ways PTA time/funds can help the school provide the supports they need:

1) Buyer: Work with the Principal to find non-personnel stuff the PTA can purchase (or get in kind donations) to free up the Principal's budget distribution to add more staff;

2) Employer: The PTA, as a non-profit organization, becomes a legal employer of "extra" staff [need lots of money and support to do it this way legally -- it is no small thing to become an employer and is rather complicated WRT what kinds of positions that are OK to fund this way];

3) Volunteer Coordinator: PTA volunteers coordinate and hustle other volunteers (among parents and community members) for the teachers -- get a list from the teachers of needs and dates, create a sign up genius type calendar of volunteer times and expertise, and fill the ones you can [keep track of those who will need to register with the District and those who won't; use teacher to teacher connections to create partnerships with 'sister schools,' both public and independent].

4) Development Agent: PTA researches and finds grants, partnerships, vendors, companies that require employees to donate a set number of service hours annually, Universities with student teachers, etc. to supply and/or fund the extras that the principal/teachers request. There is a huge amount of money and volunteer time out there for Title I schools -- you have to go get it though. Sign up for Grant Watch, as a starting point.

5) Sponsor: PTA supports teachers in the after school activities teachers are allowed to provide (and for which they get a little extra compensation from DCPS), but for which they can only charge a nominal supply fee to students -- preferably no fee. PTA can help with the nominal supply burden, which may encourage more teachers to spend this extra time running an after school club. Most, if not all of Deal's after school clubs are teacher sponsored this way, but those with heavy admin burdens, like speech and debate, rely on the parents of the students involved to support the effort too.

I think most Title I schools would get the biggest bang for the buck on 5, 4, 1, and 3, in that order, and should avoid 2 at all costs.

Also, I recommend that if you plan to undertake any of these ideas, you contact the PTA presidents of schools like Deal, Mann, Janney, Murch, Hearst, Lafayette, and others, directly for advice. Many of these folks have come to know the ins and outs of DCPS policy and politics way more than they ever wanted to know. Even though they are not Title I schools, there is no need to reinvent the wheel. If there is something you want to do, one of them has probably found a way to do it (and not always by spending a lot of money). They also have probably found options not available to them that would be available to a Title I school, so they might have some good leads for you too.

Hope that helps.

Thanks a million, PP, that's exactly what I wanted to know. I really cannot fathom us employing anyone, so we will move forward on your other ideas. Thank you!!

[Anonymous]

Buy EOTP, while we do private it continues to raise property values to the point low test scores will cycle out eventually.