Parent involvement in NCLB school standards is found lacking
Such realities, says Hill, include cultural differences that the NCLB act may not have anticipated. For example, she says, "On the receiving end, there [may be] an unfamiliarity with our culture that would invite parents to come in and talk with persons of authority." She also mentions that many parents face limitations (alcohol or drug dependency, for instance) or obligations (like work) that preclude the kind of involvement that would give them a better picture of how their child is doing.
Hill, who was the truancy judge in Atlanta's Fulton County for 8½ years, points to the problem of a single working mother who, already in transit to get to her job, "can't be there to get [her son] out the door." And just as the mother can't be there to nudge a sleepy student, says Hill, "chances are she can't just pick up and go to a special meeting during the school day" to find out how well her child or his class is or isn't meeting NCLB standards.
The Appleseed researchers looked at districts that combined rural, suburban, and rural elements in six states: Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, New Mexico, Texas, and Washington state. In Georgia, for example, the program looked at three school districts–Cobb County (north of Atlanta) as well as Muskogee and Dougherty counties, which are in the southwestern, more rural part of the state but also contain small cities.
In addition to Holland & Knight, the law firm of DLA Piper also provided assistance to the project. Other aid was provided by PricewaterhouseCoopers and Columbia Teachers College at Columbia University.
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