Improving Atlanta schools might have as much to do with parents as with teachers, textbooks or technology.
For example, if you know your mom is coming to school, “instead of cutting school, you would be there,” said Jocelyn Brown-Toney, an Atlanta Public Schools graduate and mother of two former Atlanta students.
She was was one of dozens of people who responded to an Atlanta Journal-Constitution call for ideas on how to fix Atlanta's public schools and suggested starting with parents.
Related: How to fix Atlanta Public Schools
Atlanta schools have some problems: about 20 schools among the consistently lowest-performing in the state; children who start kindergarten already behind; teenagers who start high school way behind; educators who still sometimes act unethically.
The AJC's call for solutions was prompted by the district's own national call for help. In September, the district requested ideas from foundations, companies, current Atlanta educators and others about more or better early childhood education, educating students who aren't succeeding in traditional schools, summer programs, ways to mitigate the affects of poverty, and other challenges.
Dozens responded to that call, deputy superintendent David Jernigan said. In the coming months, staff will sort the responses, pick the groups they want to hear more from and ask for community input on some of the finalists.
Of the more than 80 responses to the AJC’s request for suggestions, about a third focused on requiring, strongly encouraging or helping parents to do more. About as many respondents focused on parents as on teachers or students.
Among the ideas: require parents to volunteer in schools or join the PTA; give parents gift cards when their children get good test scores; teach parents to help their children and communicate with teachers; and provide job training.
About the Author
