A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Family Involvement in Children's Education - October 1997

Appendix B: DeForest School District

A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n


Program/School, LEA, City, State

Program Description

Student Characteristics


Parent Involvement Activities/Strategies

Grades Served;
Enrollment

Race/Ethnicity

% Poverty1 and Title I Status

DeForest School District

Public Library Team

DeForest, WI

(Small town)


  • School district and local public library jointly sponsor a family involvement and literacy program; both commit full-time staff to the effort.

  • The public library (the local Even Start site) provides early education, parenting education, and adult education on-site; retention rate is 79 percent.

  • Program produces and distributes self-contained family activity kits each week to all Title I families, all families who participate in the library's story time, and all Even Start families (350 total); parents sign a contract pledging to carry out the activities with their children.

  • Library circulates copies of district curriculum and objectives; it maintains videotapes of school events such as plays and talent shows for parents to check out if they cannot attend.

  • Program provides series of Family Learning Nights–9–12 workshops per school year for families of students in grades pre-K–12.

  • Program offers workshops for middle and high school students and parents on such topics as career exploration.

    Funding Sources2:

  • Title I, community donations

    Evidence of Success:

  • Family learning nights held at the library average about 100 adult participants and many students. Previously, similar events held at the school had very poor or no attendance.

  • Regular program participation in Even Start and Family Involvement and Literacy programs has increased by at least 25 percent over the last 3 years.

  • Every child in the district now has a public library card.

  • Student attendance increased from 95 percent in 1993–94 to 97 percent in 1995-96.

    • pre-K–12

    3,000


    96% white

    4% Middle Eastern, Hispanic


    14% FRL

    1 All schools and districts included in this Idea Book receive Title I funding. This column indicates whether a school has implemented a schoolwide program.

    2 Administrators in many schools cannot separate the costs of parent involvement efforts from other reforms and activities. This is especially true in schools that have implemented schoolwide programs (as have most schools in this appendix). However, administrators reported that, in addition to their school or district general operating budget, the funding sources listed here provide a major source of support for their parent involvement efforts.
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