Education Interest Groups

Most public school districts in the United States have education interest groups comprised of interested parents and caregivers of students in the school's population. The mission of these groups can be varied but is usually to keep parents involved with school policies and affairs, provide parents with a forum to discuss school issues with other parents, and often to provide communication between the school's teachers and principal and the parent group. The most widely known of these groups is the Parent Teacher Association, or PTA.

Keywords Administrator; Agenda; By-Laws; Curriculum; Lobbying; Parent Teacher Association (PTA); Parent teacher organizations (PTO); Public Schools

Overview

Most school districts in the United States have groups of parents advocating for issues involving their schools. These groups can have formal memberships with dues, voting, and officers. They may also be more casual groups with no real funding and/or no clear mission. These groups are communities that tend to be informal networks of people with similar interests. For the most part, they don't act in any deliberate or collective manner except to meet on a regular basis and discuss school-related issues that may be affecting their children (Baum, 2003).

A core group of involved parents is an asset for any school. Like all parents, the ones who are involved with a group care about their child's school and want to feel a close connection to the school and what goes on there. For them, being directly involved in a group will fulfill that need and may make them feel that they are being proactive for their child's education (Vandrick, 1999).

For the most part, teachers and staff welcome this type of parent involvement, and they are responsive and helpful with the parent education group's efforts. They answer questions and provide information and materials the group may request. The teachers and staff know that the group will often be a strong and important vehicle for good communication between the parents and the school and will be a way to ensure those involved in the group know what is going on in the school and are able to offer their opinions if and when it is appropriate (Vandrick, 1999).

For many parents, being involved with education groups means they feel able to effect change in some of the ways their child's school may operate. Organizing like-minded parents to join them in their group is a way to ensure that certain changes are discussed and perhaps acted upon. Active parents are depended on by a school to notice and suggest change when it is needed even if some of what is suggested may end up being unreasonable or unpopular. Teachers and administrators find parent input especially worthwhile since they know parents are taking the unique knowledge of their own child's experience into consideration when thinking about effecting change in schools, and that the cooperation between parents and staff can only strengthen a school (Baum, 2003).

Some Group Dynamics

The best education groups have a diverse group of parents and caregivers all willing to contribute at group meetings. For a variety of reasons, some parents move into an area and then may just as quickly move out, changing a particular group's dynamics. In many urban areas, for example, as many as half the students of a school's population may enter and leave in a school year. This may make it difficult for parent education groups to flourish or to include everyone and their particular concerns (Baum, 2003).

Typically, middle-class parents are seen as the most stable members of an urban school group. Since they are likely to have had formal education, they will often be the ones who understand most what the students need. They will be confident enough to share their ideas at meetings and will usually not be intimidated by talking with teachers and administrators at the school. They are aware of broad education issues and how this affects their child and the school. Although there are parents in every community who fit these criteria, those parents who are also consistently involved tend to be the exception (Baum, 2003).

In general, parents of elementary school children are often the ones most involved in their child's school and in education groups. Brannon (2007) has shown that some parents tend to feel that as their children move to the middle school or junior high age, their involvement should decrease. They may feel that their child needs his or her space and that they should lay off the school meetings and let others do that type of work for awhile. However, it may be a misconception to think middle school children don't embrace their parents' involvement. Most middle and high school students need the parents' school participation and contributions more than ever (Brannon, 2007).

Education groups for parents of children in the middle school grades are valuable for everyone involved. The best ones will concentrate on the curricular resources available: websites set up by teachers, after school homework help or hotlines for help with homework, and other types of assistance students and parents may find helpful as the school work becomes more involved (Brannon, 2007). Parents can advocate for this type of information if it is not already available.

Working Together for Success

School education groups are an integral part of a community and of the culture of a school, but the groups must strive to work together with teachers, staff, and administrators to truly be an effective and successful group. In order for real change to occur, the group must work for the good of the entire school and inform the administrators of their agendas and what they are talking about at their meetings. A revitalized public sphere can't be realized through the development of small changes in pockets of the school. Instead, all parents and school staff should feel part of the broad scheme of change in schools (Vincent & Martin, 2000). That means that education interest groups are most effective when their members continue to be well informed and receive support and feedback from administrators and principals (Vandrick, 1999). Without parent and school involvement in the decision-making process, there may be certain agreements made that don't reflect the general agreement of everyone who may be involved (Vincent & Martin, 2000).

Since parent groups are typically run outside the school it is important for them to make themselves known and let those administrators and principals directly involved with their group know who they are, who is in charge, and what the group is doing. They should be open about their goals so the school and their group are able to work closely together (Englund, 2005). It is crucial to the success of the group to ensure members are apprised and updated regularly on what is going on in their children's schools, what workshops or other meetings may be scheduled or in the planning process, and what publications are available and may be helpful to the group (Vandrick, 1999). A liaison between the group and the school administration is crucial to this type of two-way communication.

When they follow their own way of doing things and don't seek to work in tandem with the school administration, some education groups are not looked on as favorably. This is typically because the group is not working closely with the school. Sometimes education groups don't fully understand a school's policies and the reasons they are in place. In these instances, the education groups may not be seen as a positive influence (Englund, 2005).

Retaining Members: Successful Meetings

To sustain current members and attract and keep new ones, education group meetings need to be well planned and well carried out. A meeting is only successful if all members and attendees perceive the time in attendance as being well spent. That means that all parents should leave the meeting feeling it is worthwhile for them to have been there. If even one meeting is not productive, some parents will decide never to return (Haviland, 2003).

Meetings need to respect parents' schedules and should take into account the diverse careers and family situations present with students' families. Some parents may work at more than one job, may work late night or early morning shifts, may tend to an elderly family member, or they may have special needs children in the home. They may also just want to ensure that their busy routine isn't unnecessarily interrupted and that any time spent after hours talking about their child's school is important. Issues should be tackled head-on and with a minimum of off-topic discussion. An agenda should always be in place and be followed closely. A definite beginning and ending time for each meeting should be decided upon and adhered to. There should be few instances when a meeting does not end at the agreed-upon time (Haviland, 2003).

A successful meeting is also one that keeps parents aware and informed about what is going on at the school, one that provides the parents and other members with useful information, and one where everyone will have been encouraged to contribute. Questions will have been addressed and responded to, and parents with something to say should leave the meeting feeling that their voice was heard. A successful meeting will raise and motivate its members' academic ambitions for the school and its community (Haviland, 2003).

Education groups should always strive to make it clear that they are for everyone and should make it easy for any interested parent or others to get involved. Often fathers may not feel a part of the group and there should be clear avenues for them to join and be active and contributing members (Brannon, 2007).

Further Insights

The PTA: One Example

The Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) is probably the best known of all education interest groups. Founded in 1897 as the National Congress of Mothers, the original intent of the PTA was to promote the welfare of all school children and to secure laws aimed at the protection of children. The group sought to forge a closer relationship between the school and the home, with parents and teachers working more in tandem than they had in the past. It was thought at the organization's inception that the cooperation of parents, teachers, and administrators would only strengthen the education system. This has proven to be true (The Parent-Teacher Organization, 1944).

The PTA is still the largest group of its kind in the United States. It is a very powerful lobbying force and its original goals haven't changed much—the organization reminds those who make decisions about our children's education about the important obligation to each and every child. The PTA seeks to provide all children with the tools to be successful and with its huge membership base it is a powerful voice for our young students (PTA, 2007).

The national organization of the PTA feels responsible for addressing the needs of all children. This means children in every school and in every state in the nation. The PTA effects change on such large scale that even those places that don't have a local chapter are able to see evidence of the organization's work in their school. The PTA seeks to make each school a safe and nurturing environment for all students and encourages parent involvement of all kinds (PTA, 2007).

PTO Functions

Fundraising

Some education interest groups try to change parts of schools while others make fundraising their primary concern. These groups are aware that there are plenty of school materials that are not able to be paid for by a school's budget. Raising money for technology, science lab materials, art supplies, and the music department is of extreme importance in those areas of the country where certain budgets have been cut or eliminated (PTA, 2007).

Information Dissemination

Parents who know what is going on with the broad education issues in our country as well as the state and local issues affecting their own child can effectively participate in education decisions. The PTA seeks to make its members aware of what is going on and the important issues impacting the public schools today. By providing information and data to its member groups, the national PTA organization makes it easier for local groups to be able to speak with legislators about fund allocation for public schools (PTA, 2007).

Instrumental Programs

The PTA, for example, has been a strong force in establishing school lunch programs. They have been instrumental with beginning after-school programs, establishing immunization programs, some aspects of school bus safety even before these programs became law. The PTA continues to advocate for even safer schools, caring and nurturing environments, and community involvement (PTA, 2007).

PTA members can get involved with the organization to the extent they are most comfortable. Some members actively work on those issues that directly impact their child's school. The organization is able to provide information, data, and training as necessary to help the members feel as though they know an issue well and can then work effectively at their chosen level to effect change. Members may be interested in working with school funding issues, construction of new schools in some areas, teacher quality, general and specific school safety issues, school lunches and nutrition, and a host of other issues. The PTA is aware that their efforts help all children and not just the children of their members, and this is still a big part of the organization's mission (PTA, 2007).

Many parents believe that more work and change can be done when the education association is not comprised solely of parents. These parents are more apt to be part of an organization where both parents and teachers are involved; that the inclusion of principals and administrators only making such a group stronger and more useful (Lane, 1948).

PTA & PTO

Of course, there are different types of education interest groups and each tends to be varied in its mission, its size, its membership base and its program. The procedures in one group are likely to be different from another similar-sounding one, and even though groups have names that seem to be about the same, they are often different groups entirely (Lane, 1948). Any group calling itself a PTA, for example, must follow that organization's rules and bylaws and must be an actual part of the national Parent Teacher Association. Often there are parent teacher organization (PTO) groups associated with schools and these are separate and apart from the national PTA and are not local branches of the organization. Often though, the PTO association at a school will have similar types of basic goals as a PTA will, it just won't have the lobbying power, money, or huge membership behind it.

It should be noted that even though it is still a huge organization, the PTA is not as big as it once was. In the 1950s the groups had over 12 million members. Today, there are about half that number in the United States. Some schools may opt out of the PTA simply because of the organization's dues and others because of their reluctance to follow its bylaws (PTA Loses Its Members to PTOs, 2007). Others blame the PTA’s stance in the 1960s and 1970 for school desegregation. Many former and potential PTA members opt to instead join their local PTO. In 2012, the PTA sued Massachusetts based PTO Today for “engaging in false advertising, trademark infringement, and other deceptive practices to ‘further continue to encourage members to leave’ the PTA” (Tarm, 2012).

On a local level, both groups generally have the same goals and functions; however, the PTA still has its strong Washington, DC, lobbying arm and is still very effective in changing some aspects of education in our country (PTA Loses Its Members to PTOs, 2007).

Including Everyone

Some parents may not really feel as though they are represented by the school organization. This may be due to an individual's limited involvement or the particular leaders who are currently in charge of the group. Individuals may have at one time felt a different way about a particular group, but the nature of these groups is that they change all the time, with new leaders voted in as former leaders leave the group when their children age out of a particular school or the school system (Baum, 2003).

Even as they leave an education group some parents may continue to feel close to a child's former school if there are younger children poised to eventually attend that school. In general, however, most parents will lose their ties to a school when their child moves on (Baum, 2003).

A good education group will help parents realize that their children are attending a quality school and that those working with their children each day are well qualified and talented teachers. If this is not the case, the group should be working to effect changes. It is possible that parents don't know specific things about their child's school that make it special and those who are in leadership positions should brainstorm with school leaders and create a list that delineates these types of positive and possibly unique aspects of the school. Parents like to feel that their child is in the best possible place they can be (Haviland, 2003).

Conclusion

Only a small minority of parents are typically interested in becoming involved with education interest groups. Personal interest is the basis for becoming a member and although people may join a group, actually becoming involved is another story entirely. Lack of time, knowledge of education, confidence around others, and perceived skill level as compared with others in the group may cause a person to think twice about increasing involvement. Often, just joining is enough for many people (Baum, 2003).

The relationship between parents and their child's school is an important one. Schools are sometimes referred to as community organizations. That means that those most apt to be concerned about the goings on within the school are those in the immediate area and especially those who use the school. Having the school and its student population thrive and do well is important then to the well being of the entire community (Baum, 2003).

Terms & Concepts

Administrator: An administrator is someone whose job is to manage a school. As school's principal and assistant principal are part of its administration.

Agenda: An agenda is a formal list of things to be discussed or acted on and in a specific order at a meeting, or the overall purpose of a group.

By-Laws: By-laws are an organization's internal operating rules.

Lobbying: Lobbying means being part of a group of supporters and representatives who try to influence government policy on a particular issue.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA): The nation's first parent group in school dedicated to improving education for all children. Education groups operating under the PTA name must follow the organization's by-laws and pay its dues.

Parent Teacher Organization (PTO): A parent teacher organization is a group of parents and teachers who meet on a regular basis for the betterment of their school. The group may or may not be affiliated with the national PTA.

Bibliography

Baum, H. S. (2003). Community Action for School Reform. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.

Brannon, D. (2007). Addressing the decline of parent involvement in middle school. Principal. 87 , 62-63. Retrieved December 4, 2007 from EBSCO online database, Education Research Complete, http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=27170909&site=ehost-live

Englund, S. (2005). Are parent groups really good for schools? Principal, 2, 61. Retrieved December 4, 2007 from EBSCO online database, Education Research Complete, http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=18582154&site=ehost-live

Goldkind, L., & Farmer, G. (2013). The enduring influence of school size and school climate on parents' engagement in the school community. School Community Journal, 23, 223–244. Retrieved December 20, 2013, from EBSCO Online Database Education Research Complete. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=91527251

Haviland, J. (2003) When parent group meetings please parents. Education Digest, 7, 51. Retrieved December 4, 2007 from EBSCO online database, Education Research Complete, http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=9317928&site=ehost-live

Lane, B. (1948). Your Part in Your Child's Education. New York: E. P. Dutton & Co.

Manger, M. S., Pickup, M. A., & Snijders, T. B. (2012). A hierarchy of preferences: A longitudinal network analysis approach to PTA formation. Journal of Conflict Resolution, 56, 853–878. Retrieved December 20, 2013, from EBSCO Online Database Education Research Complete. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=82378309

Manno, B. V. (2012). Not your mother's PTA. Education Next, 12, 42–50. Retrieved December 20, 2013, from EBSCO Online Database Education Research Complete. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=67661208

Tarm, Michael. (2012, September 26). Partent Teacher Association sues for-profit rival PTO Today. Retrieved December 21, 2013, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/26/parent-teacher-associatio%5F0%5Fn%5F1916711.html

PTA. (2007). About PTA. Retrieved December 7, 2007 from PTA website: http://www.pta.org

PTA loses members to PTOs. (2007). District Administration. 8, 14. Retrieved December 4, 2007 from EBSCO online database, Education Research Complete, http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=26394275&site=ehost-live

The Parent-Teacher Organization. (1944). Chicago: National Congress of Parents & Teachers.

Vincent, C. & Martin, J. (2000). School-based parents' groups - a politics of voice and representation? Journal of Education Policy. 5, 459-480. Retrieved December 4, 2007 from EBSCO online database, Education Research Complete, http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=3847207&site=ehost-live

Vandrick, S. (1999) A School Parent Group Which Supports Families, Education, and Community. Education. 2, 249. Retrieved December 4, 2007 from EBSCO online database, Education Research Complete, http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=2809111&site=ehost-live

Suggested Reading

Bailey, S. (1975). Education Interest Groups in the Nation's Capital. Washington D. C.: American Council on Education.

Mandel, S. (2007). The Parent-Teacher Partnership: How to Work Together for Student Achievement. Brookline, MA: Zephyr Press.

Cutler, William, III. (2000). Parents and Schools: The 150-Year Struggle for Control in American Education. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Lawrence-Lightfoot, S. (2004). The Essential Conversation: what Parents and Teachers can Learn from Each Other. New York: Ballantine Books.

McDermott, D. (2007). Developing Caring Relationships Between Parents, Children, Schools, and Communities. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Olmstead, C. (2013). Using technology to increase parent involvement in schools. Techtrends: Linking Research & Practice To Improve Learning, 57, 28–37. Retrieved December 20, 2013, from EBSCO Online Database Education Research Complete. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=91587612

Patel, S., & Corter, C. M. (2013). Building capacity for parent involvement through school-based preschool services. Early Child Development & Care, 183, 981–1004. Retrieved December 20, 2013, from EBSCO Online Database Education Research Complete. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=88353738