Sharing Leadership
Families and school staff are equal partners in decisions that affect children and families and together inform, influence, and create policies, practices, and programs.
Families are involved in revising school/district curricula, developing policies, and participation in required parent advisory teams.
Parent groups and school staff provide outreach and support to families who are hard to reach or less engaged.
Families are aware of school board roles, elections and opportunities.
The focus here is on families and school staff as equal partners in decisions that affect children and families and together inform, influence, and create policies, practices, and programs.
Schools that promote shared responsibility encourage collaboration between all parties involved in a child’s education. If families, students, teachers, school staff, and community members can speak their concerns, take part in decision-making processes, and meet openly to debate important questions, they will be sharing responsibility for student success.
There are two main goals for Sharing Leadership
Strengthen the family’s voice in shared decision making:
Families must be full partners in making decisions on issues affecting their children both at school and within the community.
- Do families have a vote when decisions that impact their children are being made?
- What governance exists to discuss issues of equity, such as which students are eligible for English Learner programs or the gifted program.
- Are families with children in special education aware of their rights and responsibilities in advocating for their children?
Build families’ social and political connections:
Every school should have a broad-based parent organization that offers families and school staff regular opportunities to discuss concerns with each other and with school leaders, public officials, and community leaders.
- In what ways do the school and parent group connect families to local officials?
- How do parties make sure the parent organization truly represents all families in both membership and its leadership?