Parent Engagement

Latino father and son Parent engagement in schools is defined as parents and school staff working together to support and improve the learning, development, and health of children and adolescents. Parent engagement in schools is a shared responsibility in which schools and other community agencies and organizations are committed to reaching out to engage parents in meaningful ways, and parents are committed to actively supporting their children’s and adolescents’ learning and development. This relationship between schools and parents cuts across and reinforces children’s health and learning in multiple settings—at home, in school, in out-of-school programs, and in the community.

Engaging parents in their children’s school life is a promising protective factor. Research shows that parent engagement in schools is closely linked to better student behavior, higher academic achievement, and enhanced social skills. Parent engagement also makes it more likely that children and adolescents will avoid unhealthy behaviors, such as sexual risk behaviors and tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use.

Efforts to improve child and adolescent health have typically addressed specific health risk behaviors, such as tobacco use or violence. However, results from a growing number of studies suggest that greater health impact might be achieved by also enhancing protective factors that help children and adolescents avoid multiple behaviors that place them at risk for adverse health and educational outcomes.

Parent Engagement Fact Sheets

Promoting Parent Engagement in Schools and HIV/STD Prevention

Promoting Parent Engagement in Schools to Prevent HIV and other STDs Among Teens: Information for State and Local Education Agencies [PDF - 654 KB]

thumbnail image of promoting parent engagement in schools resource CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health is currently funding state and local education agencies to promote parent engagement as part of school-based HIV/STD prevention. Parent engagement in schools has largely been discussed in relation to academic success and other health outcomes not specific to HIV/STD prevention. This document is unique in that it presents information that links parent engagement in schools to HIV/STD prevention.

Combined with available implementation guidance, this information will help state and local education agency staff better select and implement parent engagement strategies specific to HIV/STD prevention. This resource can be shared directly with school staff, parents, and other stakeholders so they better understand how engaging parents in schools may improve teens’ sexual health behaviors and outcomes.

Strategy Guide & Staff Development

Strategy Guide

Parent Engagement: Strategies for Involving Parents in School Health [PDF - 2 MB]

To encourage parent engagement in school health, schools can:

Connect with parents.
Engage parents by providing a variety of activities and frequent opportunities to fully involve parents.
Sustain parent engagement by addressing the common challenges to getting and keeping parents engaged.

Individual schools and school districts should determine which actions are most feasible and appropriate, based on the needs of the school and parents, school level (elementary, middle, or high school), and available resources. Schools should also evaluate their efforts to increase parent engagement in school health to learn which actions have the greatest impact.

Staff Development

Cover for Parent Engagement Facilitators Guide

Staff development is critical to helping school staff strengthen their abilities to involve parents. This program is designed to help school staff ―

Generate enthusiasm and interest in improving parent engagement in school health
Understand the essential aspects of parent engagement, including how to positively connect with parents, engage parents in meaningful school health activities, and address challenges of engaging parents in school health activities
Share information with other staff members not attending the program
Initiate steps to implement a parent engagement action plan

This guide provides the step-by-step procedures, activities and exercises, handout materials, resources, and PowerPoint® presentation (with facilitator narrative and notes) needed to implement this staff development program. In addition, an email template to use in promoting the availability of this program to school staff—and inviting them to participate—is included.

Promoting Parent Engagement in School Health: A Facilitator's Guide for Staff Development [PDF - 2.9M]

Promoting Parent Engagement in School Health [PDF - 7M] | PDF version [1.7M]