This week our principal released a survey money that parents filled out a few months back.  Most of the results were positive in the question portion of the survey.  The written comment section of the survey was mostly positive, but one comment really bothered me.  A parent commented, "It should be the responsibility of the teacher to be sure that all parents are involved in their child's learning,  So, say I don't show up to any PTO meetings or parent/teacher conferences, the teacher should come and meet me at my home. Easy as that."  I was floored at that comment.  How can I force a parent to be accountable for being involved in their child's education?  I happened to read an article called "One Size Does Not Fit All: Engaging Families Next Year by Soliciting Feedback Now."  Here are some of their suggestions:

1. Two-way communication should be the default. Clear communication from educators on academic expectations, school policies and resources is important, but parents must also have the opportunity to bring their perspectives to the table.
2. Start by listening to and addressing key concerns. School leaders should identify the pressing concerns of parents to gain an understanding of how they think and talk about them. When parents know their chief concerns are being addressed, they are the most open to constructive involvement.
3. Approach parents with a clear request. Nearly one-quarter of parents surveyed say they haven't been asked to volunteer or help out at their children's schools in the past year. If school leaders want parent help, they should ask for it directly.
4. Provide many and varied opportunities to engage. When school leaders provide diverse opportunities for parental involvement, they have a greater chance of attracting parents of differing views and readiness.

What it actually comes down to is that schools need to give parents many opportunities to be involved and the parents have to actually WANT to be involved.  No excuses from either party.