Parent Involvement in Special Education

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Parent involvement is a priority. It is on the radar nationwide, statewide and in your school district. The NH PIRC website offers a wealth of information on the importance of parent involvement in schools/school districts as the evidence is in that parent involvement impacts student outcomes. Governor Lynch has proclaimed October to be Parent Involvement in Education Month in NH.

What does parent involvement in special education mean to school personnel in your school district? What does parent involvement mean to students with disabilities and families of children in special education? What does parent involvement mean to parents who are key decision makers in their child/ren’s Individual Education Plan?

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Indicator 8: Family Involvement in Special Education

The New Hampshire Special Education State Performance Plan (SPP) and the Annual Performance Report (APR)  are reports to the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP).

Indicator 8: Family Involvement in Special Education
The SPP and APR includes 20 Indicators. NH Connections is assisting schools and school districts to improve Indicator 8.

Indicator 8 Measurement
Percent of parents with a child receiving special education services who report that schools facilitated parent involvement as a means of improving services and results for children with disabilities.

Calculation
Percent = # of respondent parents who report schools facilitated parent involvement as a means of improving services and results for children with disabilities divided by the total # of respondents parents of children with disabilities time 100.

Collection method
Information is collected through a paper and an electronic survey that a parent completes and returns.

Federal Collection dates
Parent Involvement Survey is available in March and must be returned and postmarked by May 30.

District Submission Date
Parent Involvement Survey must be returned by no later than March 30.

Important Notes               

Two parts to review: Response rate and Percentage feels involved.
The Parent Involvement Survey results are available for your school district through your disstrict administration team.
 

Distribution of the Parent Involvement Survey

The school district special education office receives a box that includes sealed envelopes holding a cover letter and a survey. Included in the box is a sample of the contents of the Preschool Survey and the School-age Survey.

The school district special education office must print labels of the parents of children in special education. The school district personnel then applies the labels to the appropriate survey. The envelopes are then mailed to the parent.

Two surveys are to be completed and returned by the parent:
- one for parents of preschool children and
- one for parents of school-age children.

The parent is offered choices to complete the survey:
1. Complete and return the survey in the envelope provided.
2. Complete the online survey using the username and password that is provided on the cover letter.
3. Call the Helpline to inquire about special needs. There are services available for parents who are vision impaired and to those who speak a language other than English.

When the 2009-2010 Survey and Envelope are available, we will post them here.

2008-2009 Survey and Envelope:
Preschool Survey and the Preschool Envelope
School Age Survey and the School Age Envelope

Strategies to Analyze Parent Involvement Survey Data

Review the district response rate.

• Does the district need to create strategies to improve how many surveys are returned?
• How did the district provide the surveys to their parents in previous year?
• Are there additional ways that may boost returns?

• Explanation of the statewide parent survey percentage is located on the NHDOE website.
• Which questions did the district score lowest or below the target?
• What strategies could the district incorporate that would raise the percentage next year?

• Check the accuracy of parent or guardian address.
• Circulate flyers and/or notices to parents or post in school or in public venues
• Public media announcements (e.g., Radio, Channel 9, Community Access channels)
• Superintendent support (e.g., public announcements, letters to parents)
• Support from Parent Group(s) (e.g., email communications, public announcements, meetings, etc.)
• Provide information about the survey at the time of the IEP
• Schedule meetings at school to assist parents in completing the survey
• Case Managers or Special Ed. Director support (e.g., phone calls or email messages to notify parents about the survey timelines and purpose)
• Automated calling of parents announcing when the survey is coming and why it is important (robo calling)
• Post information on the district website
• Post information about the survey timelines and purpose in parent newsletters
  
• Greater collaboration between schools and districts, and with Parent Information Center and NH Connections

• Schools provide written information in an understandable way.
• School offer a variety of ways to communicate with teachers.
• The schools offer parents training about special education issues.
• The schools provide information that offer support to parents of students with disabilities.
• Teachers and administrators encourage the parent(s) to partcipate in the decision making process.