News

The Parent Involement Network (PEN) published a 2008 report as a followup to the one it produced in 2006, which evaluated its National Civic Index.  The index involves 10 categories which measure a community's civic engagement as it relates to its public schools.

• Click this link to access a powerpoint presentation of the report

• Significant findings include:

• Education is no longer the top concern for communities (slide #9)

• In 2006 the top concerns were Education, Healthcare, and Jobs/Economy

• In 2008 the top concerns were Gas Prices, Jobs/Economy, and Education

• However Education reamians the top concern for young African-Americans

• Communities see their local school trends more favorably than national trends (slides #13 and #17)

• Latinos  and Aftcan-Americans most positive regarding whether NCLB has helped (slide #21)

• Apparent confusion about who is involved (slide #34).  Is this a communication issue?

• Elected officials not being held accountable (slide #41).  Is this a lack of personal repsonsibility on the part of the electorate?

• African-Americans most forcefully believe media focuses far too much on negative educational issues (slide #45)

• African-Americans least likely to say local schools meet the goal of ensuring quality education for all students (slide #53)

Other Parent Involvement resources

• Framingham Parent Information Center

• Framingham Townwide PTO

• Framingham Office o f Equity & Achievement

• Parent Involvement Network (PEN)

• Civic Index for Quality Education

• Parent's Place (Massachusetts PIRC)

• National Parent Teacher's Association (PTA)

• Massachusetts Parent Teacher's Association (MassPTA)

• National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education (NCPIE)

• Harvard Family Research Project (HFRP)

Teacher's Associations

• National Education Association (NEA)

• American Federation of Teacher's (AFT) 

• Massachusetts Teacher's Association (MTA)