Education has been a hotspot in the news lately at a local, state, and national level. Whether it is the restructuring of our public education system as we know it, the latest standards rolling out, news of teacher shortages, or reports showing failing and underperforming schools, our children’s education is definitely a stressor for many moms across the country.
Last week, I was sitting in a parent meeting. As the team was throwing out scores, acronyms, data, and other terms, it hit me: this is common knowledge for those of us in the education world, but for parents who hold jobs outside of education, the wording we use might as well be a foreign language. How are they supposed to make educated decisions and advocate for their child’s academic success when we’re presenting information in a manner that is confusing, to say the least? Furthermore, how can parents and caregivers plan for their child’s future with upcoming changes in public education when they aren’t clear on exactly how the school system is structured? How can they ask the best questions when they don’t know what to ask? It would be equally easy for me to step into the medical realm and try to make informed decisions when all I’m presented with is medical jargon, numbers, tests, and statistics that I’ve never heard of in a day in my life.
As I thought about this, I tried to brainstorm ways to make this information more readily available for families across the area. In a dream world, it would be amazing if every county offered free legal assistance or some sort of advocate for parents, someone who explained the details and laid out options, guiding parents through the decision making for their student. While I know this option may be far-fetched and currently unattainable, I know that there are many educator moms that would be more than happy to delve into information on the education system, sometimes nerding out a little more than we probably should.
So, while I have this platform and opportunity, I want to share my knowledge and support the moms in the area as they advocate for their children.
Whether it’s about how the education system is structured, questions to ask your school, IEP/Special Education, literacy, or school safety, behavior, technology, or social-emotional support, I am here to help. I will ask the questions, give the advice, and do the research in order to support families in our area as we navigate a very uncertain time in education.
If you’re concerned about your student’s academic performance, here are some questions to ask your child’s teacher:
- Aside from my child’s grade, how are they measuring up to the state standards? In which standards do they demonstrate mastery? Which standards are they developing? In which standards are they performing below grade level?
- What screeners and assessments are given throughout the year, and how many times?
- Does the school offer any interventions to help students who measure below grade level on screeners and assessments?
