Back to School: 6 Ways Communities Can Help Parents and Kids Succeed

by Joyce Mayberry | Jul 20, 2023

Back to School: 6 Ways Communities Can Help Parents and Kids Succeed

Key Points

Parental involvement in education yields significant benefits for both students and schools.
Students with engaged parents tend to have better academic outcomes, attendance rates, and behavior in the classroom.
Schools and communities can employ a few concrete strategies to facilitate parental involvement and empower students to succeed at school and in life.

Raising and educating young people takes a group effort. Everyone—parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, teachers, friends, clergy, coaches—plays an important role. Within this collaboration, parental involvement is especially powerful and yields numerous benefits for both children and schools.

Research consistently demonstrates that children with engaged parents tend to have higher academic performance, better attendance rates, improved behavior, and increased motivation to learn. Moreover, schools benefit from parental involvement by gaining valuable insights, fostering a supportive environment, and enhancing overall student outcomes. When our kids are successful and able to show up as their best selves, our entire communities benefit from future generations of healthy, responsible, caring adults who are well prepared for meaningful work, relationships, and community involvement.

As families prepare for a brand new school year, here are six ways that schools and communities can empower students and their parents and caregivers throughout the school year.

1. Build strong communication channels between parents, children, and schools.

Schools can employ various strategies, such as regular newsletters, parent-teacher conferences, class websites, and digital communication platforms to keep parents informed about their child’s progress, school activities, and opportunities for involvement. Encouraging two-way communication ensures that parents feel valued and heard, enabling them to participate in their child’s educational journey.

2. Offer and promote parent education programs.

Parent education programs and workshops play a vital role in equipping parents with the necessary skills and knowledge to support their children’s learning. Schools can organize workshops on topics like homework assistance, effective communication strategies, and understanding curriculum standards. By empowering parents with the right tools, they become better equipped to engage in their child’s education and make informed decisions.

3. Encourage volunteering and participation.

Volunteering opportunities provide parents or other primary caregivers with hands-on involvement in their child’s school and community. Schools can offer various volunteering options, such as assisting in the classroom, organizing events, or participating in extracurricular activities.

Volunteering strengthens the parent-child bond, and it helps parents understand the educational environment and feel a sense of belonging within the school community.

When our kids are successful, entire communities benefit from future generations of healthy, responsible, caring adults who are well prepared for meaningful work, relationships, and community involvement.

4. Create family engagement events.

Family engagement events serve as an excellent platform to bring parents, children, and educators together. These events can range from family fun days, cultural celebrations, or academic showcases.

By organizing inclusive and interactive events, schools can create an inviting atmosphere that encourages parents to participate and form connections with other families, thereby enhancing the sense of community.

5. Leverage technology to give parents flexibility.

In today’s digital age, technology can bridge the gap between parents, children, and schools. Online platforms and applications give parents easy access to information about their child’s progress, assignments, and upcoming events. Schools can use technology for virtual parent-teacher conferences, webinars, or online discussion forums, enabling greater flexibility and engagement for parents who may have time constraints.

6. Partner with the community to enrich students’ educational experiences.

Collaborating with the wider community enriches the educational experience and broadens the opportunities available to students. Schools can engage local businesses, organizations, and professionals to offer mentorship programs, career guidance, or specialized workshops. Community partnerships foster real-world connections, expose children to diverse perspectives, and demonstrate the importance of community involvement.

Additional Resources

Want to learn more about how communities can support parents and foster the academic achievement and well-being of our youth? Check out these resources based on our Raising Highly Capable Kids parenting program:

Charter schools outshine the traditional public school model, Stanford University report finds

by Kimberly Sawatka | Jul 12, 2023

Stanford University’s Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO), charter schools, charter school, alternative education, education options, GA schools, GA education, ga learning

Charter schools outshine the traditional public school model, Stanford University report finds

Key Points

Research shows between years 2014 and 2019, charter school students were more advanced in math and reading than their public school counterparts.
Students who experienced the greatest benefits were black and Hispanic student.
The data shows that charter schools have consistently performed better than public schools.

When it comes to favorable education outcomes, charter schools consistently outshine the traditional public school system.

According to an annual report from Stanford University’s Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO), between the years 2014 and 2019, charter school students were more advanced in math and reading than their public school counterparts. CREDO’s research concluded that over the course of a year, those gains equated to an extra six math learning days, and 16 extra reading days, above what public school students receive.

In terms of performance, 83% of charter school students had stronger reading skills than their counterparts in public school. Seventy-five percent of students in charter schools had higher math performance.

This is CREDO’s third study on charter schools since 2000. It covered 6,200 schools in 29 states. CREDO used data from standardized tests to obtain its findings.

“It’s clear that charter schools benefit Georgia families by offering a crucial alternative to a traditional public school,” said Buzz Brockway, vice president of public policy for the Georgia Center for Opportunity. “We can add this CREDO study to a growing body of research bearing this out.”

Charter schools benefit marginalized students most

According to the data in the CREDO report, marginalized students benefited the most from charter schools’ curricula and practices. Of these students, those who experienced the greatest benefits were black and Hispanic students, students enrolled in English-as-a-second-language programs, and students living in poverty.

CREDO concluded that black charter school students experienced approximately 35 days of additional progress in reading, and for math, 29 days. These results added up to an extra month and a half of learning per school year.

It’s crucial that those responsible for students’ wellbeing, from the family to the highest levels of government, take note of these findings. If we want to offer historically marginalized students their best possible educational opportunities, then we must consider making charter schools more accessible than ever before.

“Over time, the data shows that charter schools have consistently performed better than public schools.”

High-quality charter school networks have consistently performed better over time

Over time, the data shows that charter schools have consistently performed better than public schools. CREDO’s research team ultimately ran three studies from 2000 to 2023 to prove that an established pattern existed. With this year’s data in hand, it’s safe to say that charter schools continue to perform well, and the future is looking bright.

Researchers at CREDO took their initial 2014-2019 time frame and expanded it to cover the years 2009 through 2023. They then compared it to national public school performance. Again, the results remained consistent, with outcomes continuing to track positively for charter school students.

It’s also important to note the boom in charter school enrollment since 2019. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), enrollment at charter schools jumped by seven percent between fall 2019 and fall 2020 (the start of the pandemic). By the same token, public school enrollment dropped by four percent during that time.

This increase in demand, combined with emerging data about charter school performance, indicates that we may continue to see charter schools rising in popularity well into the future.

Georgia opted out of this year’s study. Why?

Although Georgia participated in CREDO’s previous two studies, the state opted out of this year’s study. It’s unfortunate, given that Georgia’s charter schools are improving education, graduation rates, and career opportunities for students all over the state. With additional positive data from Georgia in hand, we may have seen even further success reflected in the CREDO study.

That being said, we do have some Georgia specific data to share. The State Charter School Commission (SCSC) compared state authorized charter school growth scores to the growth scores of traditional public schools the students would otherwise attend, following the CREDO study methodology.

Charter school academic growth compared to local traditional schools is rising nationally. The number of state charter schools in Georgia with higher progress scores than the local traditional schools increased from 2015 to 2019, with over half outperforming in the most recent school year for which data are available 2021-2022.

Students of color perform better in charter schools. Nationally, the academic performance of Black and Hispanic students attending charters grew by large margins relative to their peers attending traditional public schools. In Georgia, the share of majority-minority state charter schools outperforming their local traditional school comparisons rose dramatically from 17 percent to 60 percent between 2015 and 2019.

Charter schools yield better academic performance for students living in poverty. From 2015 to 2019, the academic progress of charter school students living in poverty nationwide surpassed that of their peers attending traditional public schools. In 2015, Georgia had 11 state charter schools serving large populations of economically disadvantaged students, and only one had higher growth scores than the traditional local schools. However, by 2019, the number climbed to eight out of 17.

The instructional delivery model matters and varies by location. At the national level, student performance in fully online charter schools floundered across the five-year period compared to traditional brick-and-mortar schools. Conversely, in Georgia, virtual state charters showed significant progress during the same period. By 2021-2022, both statewide virtual charter schools outperformed their traditional brick-and-mortar counterparts in several grades.

The SCSC analysis mirrors the result of the CREDO study in all areas except one: Georgia’s virtual charter schools are performing better than virtual charter schools nationally.

Wrapping up

It’s essential that every participating state share their outcomes whenever possible. Studies like the one conducted by CREDO provide families and government entities with the compelling, factual information they need to make informed decisions. For families, that decision may mean the choice between a traditional public school and a higher-performing charter school that opens up new opportunities for their students.

For government entities, having plenty of hard data in hand to support charter schools could make it much easier for states to open up charter school access to more students. When states opt out of providing this all-important information, children ultimately suffer most.

Unlocking Opportunities: Empowering Women at Whitworth Correctional Facility for Successful Re-entry

by Kimberly Sawatka | Jun 20, 2023

Unlocking Opportunities: Empowering Women at Whitworth Correctional Facility for Successful Re-entry

Key Point

Those reentering society need a plan for gaining stable employment after serving time.
Local businesses will hire and support those reentering society.
There are tools, resources, and support available to former inmates.

At the beginning of the summer, Prison Fellowship hosted an inspiring event at the Whitworth Women’s Facility in Hartwell, Georgia.

This event was significant for inmates because many of them will soon be integrating back into society, which can also be referred to as “reentry.” This process can be tough because there are many challenges, like finding a good job. Assisting former inmates in swiftly obtaining reliable employment is crucial as it plays a pivotal role in reducing recidivism rates, or keeping people from going back to prison.

Tony Kitchens, a board member of GCO and a representative of Prison Fellowship, along with Luisa Beeco, BETTER WORK Gwinnett’s program manager, participated in a panel discussion focusing on the options available to women after serving time and the significance of stable employment in their journey towards successful re-entry. With around 150 engaged participants, including former inmates, the event aimed to provide hope, support, and resources for these women as they prepared for their transition back into society.

Incarcerated women are eager for job opportunities and self-sufficiency:

The importance of supporting incarcerated individuals and helping them integrate back into society has become a pressing concern in recent years. The panel of speakers featured former inmates, our GCO team, and representatives from The Georgia Justice Project. Luisa highlighted the need for a plan to secure stable employment as a stepping stone towards a better life after incarceration. One of the most remarkable aspects of the discussion was the unexpected level of engagement displayed by the incarcerated women, who were eager to learn about their job opportunities and how to achieve self-sustenance. With local community leaders showing support for their ambitions, the women left the discussion with a renewed sense of hope and determination for a brighter future.

“The women actively participated by asking thought-provoking questions to the panelists for a substantial period of time,” stated Luisa. “This eagerness to learn and seek guidance demonstrated their genuine desire to better themselves and seize the opportunities that awaited them upon release.”

Stable jobs after prison are key to women finding purpose and success:

One of the recurring themes throughout the discussion was the critical role of stable employment in the re-entry process. Our team highlighted the benefits of having a job after release, such as financial stability, personal growth, and a sense of purpose. The panelists emphasized the importance of using their time in prison wisely to acquire necessary skills and qualifications, ensuring they are well-prepared to enter the job market upon release.

“This eagerness to learn and seek guidance demonstrated their genuine desire to better themselves and seize the opportunities that awaited them upon release.”

Hope and resources for incarcerated women returning to society:

GCO provided a comprehensive list of available support networks, job training programs, and organizations dedicated to helping formerly incarcerated individuals transition back into society.

The event held at the Whitworth Women’s Facility was an inspiring testament to the power of hope, support, and education in the lives of incarcerated women. By engaging with panelists, seeking guidance, and embracing the importance of stable employment, these women showcased their determination to rebuild their lives and contribute positively to their communities. The collaboration between Prison Fellowship, Tony Kitchens, GCO, and the dedicated individuals within the correctional facility exemplifies the transformative potential of collective efforts in enabling successful re-entry and giving these women the tools they need to thrive.

5 Summertime Tips to Support Children’s Development

by Katelyn Stewart | Jun 15, 2023

5 Summertime Tips to Support Children’s Development

Key Points

Summers are for more family time and enjoyment!
Studies show parental involvement is key to children’s health and development.
Raising Highly Capable Kids (RHCK) has tools to help parents.

School breaks, warm weather, longer daylight hours—these are a recipe for more relaxation and fun as parents and kids enjoy a few weeks free of school-related commitments. On the other hand, summer can be challenging when kids have time off but parents must continue their regular work schedules and responsibilities.

Numerous studies have shown that parental involvement is key to children’s health and overall development. But how can parents maintain this involvement and nurture their child’s development in a season where kids might be on break but adults are not?

Our parenting class, Raising Highly Capable Kids (RHCK), has tools to help parents—and any adult caring for young people—answer this question. RHCK teaches the 40 developmental assets that are essential for raising healthy, responsible, caring kids. Several of these building blocks provide simple, inexpensive, and effective ideas that adults can use throughout the summer to support kids’ development. Plus, all of these ideas have a larger benefit of cultivating overall family well-being and connection.

Embrace evenings for family activities

In our Raising Highly Capable Kids parenting class, one of the developmental building blocks we teach is “Time at Home”—where a child spends some time each day interacting with their parents and doing activities at home that don’t involve TV or video or computer games. This type of interaction has been shown to improve young people’s leadership skills, health, and achievement in school.

One benefit to summertime schedules is that flexible bedtimes and longer daylight hours can free up evenings for quality time as a family. For many families, summer evenings can be good opportunities for connection and fun, especially if parents are working during the day or if a vacation isn’t feasible for your budget.

Activities to try:

Game night with your favorite board or card game
Family movie night
Visit a local pool or playground
Go for a walk after dinner and talk about favorite moments from the day
Plan a picnic for dinner

Cultivate responsibility by getting kids involved around the house

Building personal responsibility in kids goes beyond rule-following. It’s about giving kids opportunities to practice caring for themselves and their environment and learning from successes and mistakes in the process.

When it comes to the developmental asset of responsibility, summer is a great time to get creative. As kids get a break from school assignments, they can practice cultivating responsibility in other areas of life. For example, parents could have their child pick a household chore to be in charge of throughout the summer. Or, they could involve kids in tasks that introduce new skills and experiences—things like gardening, cooking, reading to siblings, or taking care of pets.

The important thing is to involve your child in selecting responsibilities for the summer. Being able to choose, even if it’s from a limited list of options, encourages young people to feel that they have positive control over their choices and actions.

Let your child choose a special hobby for the summer

Participating in creative activities two or more times helps kids develop several important skills: intellectual comprehension, communication, cultural understanding, and overall creativity and problem-solving.

Summer can be a great time to encourage kids to explore new interests. Plus, parents can use new hobbies as a tool to set much-needed routines in the midst of a less structured season. Have your child pick an activity or two to try this summer, and if it fits within your budget, take them to the store to pick out items they’ll need for their project.

Activities to try:

Creative writing or journaling
Painting or drawing
Building (lego sets, puzzles, block sets)
Listening to or playing music

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Encourage reading for pleasure

Reading is strongly connected to developing positive values and learning concepts, facts, and emotions in creative, inspirational ways. Summer is the perfect time to help kids experience the pleasure of reading for fun, not just for school assignments.

Activities to try:

Put reading material—chapter books, picture books, comic books, etc.—in easy-to-reach places around the house.
Set a family reading time once a week to read aloud to younger kids or hang out with older kids while reading different books.
Take advantage of summer reading programs through local libraries or bookstores. These programs often set up reading challenges or adventures to get kids excited about completing a goal.
Join forces with families in your neighborhood to create a summer book club for older kids or story time for younger children.

Pick one way to serve others

One way to have a memorable, satisfying summer is to dedicate time to making a difference in the world around you. Research shows that young people who serve others are more likely to develop respect, kindness, patience, and helpfulness. Get together with your kids and brainstorm some ways that you could help out in your community. It could be as simple as weeding the yard for an elderly neighbor, or perhaps you could plan a volunteer activity or a home project for the whole family to help out with.

Get your kids involved in picking summer goals for the family

For many families, the key to a rejuvenating summer is to set a few goals that will be meaningful and enjoyable. Not sure what to prioritize? Consider having a conversation with your family to brainstorm what you want your summer to include.

Here are a few questions to use as starting points:

- How do you want your summer to feel?
- What are some local attractions or activities that you could enjoy as a family?
- What is a hobby or project that your child would enjoy spending time on?
- What are some books you would like to read or movies you would like to watch?
- How could you invest in your family’s physical health? How much time should your kids be outside playing or staying inside and relaxing?
- How much screen time will be allowed?
- What seasonal meals or snacks would the family enjoy?
- How do you want to build friendships during the season?

Finalize your list by choosing a handful of things that appeal to your family or by allowing each person to choose one thing that appeals to them. Then, go and enjoy your summer!

Add South Carolina and Indiana to the list of states enacting nearly universal educational opportunity

by David Bass | Jun 2, 2023

Add South Carolina and Indiana to the list of states enacting nearly universal educational opportunity

Key Points

Indiana passed a scholarship program that will allow any family below 400% of the amount required to qualify for the federal free and reduced-price lunch program to access education scholarships.
South Carolina expanded their scholarship program with similar guidelines to those in Indiana.
Georgia failed to pass a transformative education scholarship program that would have positively impacted the lowest performing communities in the state.

The year isn’t even halfway over, and six states have already enacted laws that create universal educational access for all students in 2023.

In total, Iowa, Utah, Arkansas, Florida, and now South Carolina and Indiana have enacted either universal—or nearly universal—educational opportunity this year. That’s on top of Arizona and West Virginia, which did so in 2021 or 2022.

Each state has its own version of a scholarship or educational savings account that the state funds for children’s needs outside of traditional public school. For example, these types of accounts send a portion of each student’s public school dollars to allow the child to attend a private school of their family’s choice. In some cases, families who choose to homeschool their children can use the funds for educational expenses.

Indiana

Indiana is the most recent state to join that list. That state’s scholarship program will now be available to any family below 400% of the amount required to qualify for the federal free and reduced-price lunch program. That translates to a salary of around $222,000 a year for a family of four.

Previously, requirements were in place that further limited the program, such as it only being open to families with students previously enrolled in a public school or to children in the foster care system. Under the new law, only an estimated 3.5% of Indiana’s families won’t qualify for this option.

The Georgia Center for Opportunity led a state-wide campaign to educate parents and legislators on the positive impact that choice brings to public education.

South Carolina

Meanwhile, South Carolina governor Henry McMaster recently signed a bill into law that eventually expands that state’s scholarship program to families at or below 200% of F&R priced lunch as well. The program is more limited in scope than Indiana’s. It will only be available to 5,000 students the first year, 10,000 the second year, and 15,000 students the third year.

South Carolina’s program allows for the establishment of Educational Scholarship Trust Funds. Funds deposited in these accounts can be used not only for expanded school choice, but may also be used for special needs therapies, such as physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy. Tutors and transportation may also be included for families caring for special needs students.

So, what happened in Georgia?

If the Georgia Legislative Session had passed Senate Bill 233, also known as the Georgia Promise Scholarship Act, it would have put $6,500 per student back into parents’ pockets so they could fund the best educational approaches for their children. The funds would have been eligible for use as private school tuition and public school alternatives, such as homeschooling.

According to the Georgia Department of Education, families who qualified would have had students enrolled into the lower 25% of schools in Georgia. This amounted to roughly 400,000 students.

SB 233 was a strong bill, passing the Senate with unanimous Republican support and going on to the House. Despite receiving no support from Senate Democrats, it’s excellent news that the bill made it so far through legislative proceedings.

The House vote proved to be tougher, with bipartisan representatives voting against it. Rep. Mesha Mainor of Atlanta was the lone Democrat in the House to vote in favor. On its final day of session, SB 233 was only six votes short of the 91 it needed to pass.

The good news is that the Georgia Promise Scholarship Act is eligible for reconsideration during the 2024 legislative session.

Looking to what’s next

Public schools are not the problem. We love and support public schools—they will remain the right and best choice for the vast majority of Georgia families. But we can love, support, and move public schools forward while expanding education into new areas.

Public education is a foundational and vital part of the success of American society, but an increasing number of families are looking toward alternatives—and their choices are just as valid. We must work to deliver quality education to all students, which means finding ways to support families who take a different schooling path. While many will access their education through public schools, not all kids are a perfect fit for that system, and they cannot be left behind.

Are Work Requirements Good or Bad?

by Corey Burres | Jun 1, 2023

Are Work Requirements Good or Bad?

Key Points

The arguments around work requirements ignore the purpose of how our safety net services should work.
The public, in general, agree with the argument for work requirements because they see the system as a temporary solution.
We must reform the system so that we move people into opportunity and thriving.

As the federal government debates the debt ceiling and attempts to bring spending under control, one recurring topic is work requirements for adults on government benefits and safety net services. The argument is that implementing work requirements will encourage more people to leave welfare programs, which in turn would decrease spending on one of the biggest expenses in the federal budget.

However, the debate about work requirements should not, in my opinion, be connected to fiscal accountability. Instead, it should be linked to the central purpose of these services and the people needing them.

A look at work requirements

To understand these challenges we need to look at the differing opinions on work requirements. On one side you hear the argument that not requiring work for benefits like SNAP and Medicaid is a disincentive to work for those on benefits. In other words, people are staying on benefits longer than necessary because there is no benefit to getting off, and in many cases, it is more costly to get off.

On the other side, the argument requiring work is simply a way to save money which ultimately hurts the poor. The argument is people in need of food support and healthcare will not be able to work and thus will be forced off of services without work.

Both of these arguments ignore the full experience of those on safety net services. Therefore, I want to challenge us to set aside political talking points and have a real discussion on the issue. These arguments are fraught with finger-pointing and people assigning motivations to each other. The discussion around work requirements is important because it challenges us to ask, “What is the purpose of our welfare system?”

With The Alliance for Opportunity, we are crafting policies that will create a clear path to get off safety net services and into opportunity in Georgia.

Work requirements aren’t a bad idea

At the Georgia Center for Opportunity, we generally agree with the idea of work requirements, but not for the reasons political pundits throw around. We are not trying to “weed out bad actors” or trying to reduce government expenditures. Those outcomes may come to pass but they cannot and should not be the intent of such measures.

While there is a politicized debate currently raging, the idea of requiring work to continue to receive benefits is not new. FDR’s New Deal, the framework for our current safety net system, pushed for a system that helped those unable to work like children or disabled individuals. The expansion of such a system to cover the unemployed came later in the process and was designed to be a stopgap between employment.

As the system expanded even further, it became apparent the support should include systems to get people back into work—this led to job training and education programs.

That is where we are today and ultimately how we should be looking at the safety net system for those able to work. The system must be designed to ask, “How can we help you get back on your feet and be self-sustainable?” Not because you are only valuable if you work, but because you are a valuable member of society. This view of membership is probably why work requirements are very popular among the US population. We value and understand the importance of work.

The research on the value of work is expansive. It leads to positive outcomes for families, improved personal mental health, and deeper community value. It is what we should want for people. It is what we should build our services to provide people, not a paycheck but an opportunity.

The arguments against work requirements

The issue becomes more complex when you recognize the valid arguments against work requirements. One of these is that work requirements don’t increase work rates—they simply cut people off of needed services.

The argument is that these requirements add another stress level to people just trying to survive. This creates yet another hurdle for those already struggling to navigate a complex process. The result is people find a different means to survive or they simply give up. Obviously, no one wants to add to people’s burdens.

Rather than arguing against work requirements, these challenges highlight the flaws in our current system. The system is poorly designed and does not lead to the outcomes we want for people.

Work requirements are a good policy in a bad system

Policymakers are notoriously inept when it comes to policy reforms. Half-measures have resulted in a system that is not focused on outcomes. If the system were structured to reduce complexity and alleviate stress for those seeking job support, then a work requirement could be the positive encouragement it should be.

This is one reason we are working with other state think tanks on a One Door Model that would transform our safety net services and create a clear, supportive, and accessible path to work.

These types of policies are critical to ensure that we are helping those in need. They are also critical to ensure that we deliver dignity and hope as an outcome.

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About The Author

Corey Burres

VP of Communication and Marketing

Corey Burres is the director the award-winning education documentary Flunked. He served as a consultant with many state think tanks around the country to help them utilize marketing and story telling to improve public policy. He is active in the foster care community and working to help build a better community around him.