Parental expectations are key to a child’s success in school.

Charter Schools, schools that are publically funded but independently managed, are often a lightening rod in the perennial debate on how to provide quality education for all children, regardless of race and economics. To shed some light on the issues, I recommend two recent articles from The Economist. http://www.economist.com/node/21558255 and http://www.economist.com/node/21558265

I believe that all schools need to embody the importance of teachers having a good amount of autonomy, which empowers them to be more committed and creative teachers. My concern is that the debate between Charter versus Pubic often over shadows the necessity of parental involvement in their child’s education. Teachers need strong support from parents.

A survey conducted by the Michigan Department of Education found that more than budgets or teachers, parents are the reason children perform as they do in school, and the most consistent predictors of children’s academic achievement and social adjustment are parental expectations. A recent study also pointed to the need for parental engagement in creating a home environment that encourages learning and the necessity of their involvement in a child’s education.

The winning scenario combines parent engagement, high expectations and teachers having the conditions they deserve and need to be innovative, passionate and dedicated teachers. The facts show that parental engagement and good teachers make for good students.