A parent recently shared her frustration about her daughter's school and what she saw as their "closed-door" policy regarding parent volunteers. The principal had started a program in which parents could volunteer in certain areas of school such as the library, the lunchroom, or their child's classroom. However, to do so, the parent was required to sign up for a regular time on the weekly schedule. Several parents could not make commitments to a regular schedule but preferred to just "drop in" when they had free time available. They felt that the school was being unreasonably restrictive by requiring them to sign up in advance on a weekly schedule.

Differences between parents' expectations and those of school staff members are not unusual as more schools attempt to find meaningful ways to include parents as volunteers and partners in their child's education. Teachers and school staff are under pressure to teach "the basics" that will help children meet educational benchmarks and do well on standardized tests. Parent volunteers can play an important role in helping support the teachers' and the school's education goals. But the organization and implementation of an effective volunteer program may feel like a daunting task to the staff if it is added to their responsibilities in an already packed school day. The volunteer process has been further complicated because some school administrators request screening of parent volunteers as part of the new emergency planning goals for safe schools (http://www.ed.gov/emergencyplan/). School districts such as Everett Public Schools in the state of Washington, for example, require parents to fill out an application and request permission to do a criminal background check http://www.everett.k12.wa.us/community/volunteer.html). While some parents may feel that requesting all volunteers to submit to a criminal background check is an extreme measure, other parents find it reassuring-particularly if the school is located in a larger metropolitan area where residents are not well known to teachers and school staff.

Despite the obstacles, most school staff members recognize the valuable resource that they have available with parent volunteers. The National Parent Teachers Association (PTA) has identified "Volunteering" as Standard IV of their National Standards for Parent/Family Involvement Programs (http://www.pta.org/parentinvolvement/standards/index.asp) and has developed nine "Quality Indicators" of successful volunteer programs (http://www.pta.org/parentinvolvement/standards/pfistand4.asp):

1. Ensure that office staff greetings, signage near the entrances, and any other interaction with parents create a climate in which parents feel valued and welcome.

2. Survey parents regarding their interests, talents, and availability, then coordinate the parent resources with those that exist within the school and among the faculty.

3. Ensure that parents who are unable to volunteer in the school building are given the options for helping in other ways, at home or place of employment.

4. Organize an easy, accessible program for utilizing parent volunteers, providing ample training on volunteer procedures and school protocol.

5. Develop a system for contacting all parents to assist as the year progresses.

6. Design opportunities for those with limited time and resources to participate by addressing child care, transportation, work schedule needs, and so forth.

7. Show appreciation for parents' participation, and value their diverse contributions.

8. Educate and assist staff members in creating an inviting climate and effectively utilizing volunteer resources.

9. Ensure that volunteer activities are meaningful and built on volunteer interests and abilities.

Quality indicators numbers 4 and 6 suggest that schools should organize easy, accessible programs for parent volunteers that accommodate a variety of schedules. For example, a school that incorporates "drop-in" opportunities in the library or "one-shot" opportunities at an annual fundraiser or school carnival can include parents who cannot commit to a regular weekly time.

Quality indicator number 4 also notes that there should be ample training for parent volunteers on both procedures and protocol. Training is particularly important for parents who would like to volunteer in the classroom as regular aides or tutors. Volunteers could learn more about classroom structure and expectations, teaching strategies that will be effective for their tutoring, and whom to contact in the event of a discipline problem or an emergency.

One topic that is often covered in volunteer training is confidentiality as it relates to school issues that involve individual students and their families. Teachers and school staff are required to follow confidentiality guidelines when working with children and their families. School staff members sometimes worry that untrained school volunteers may "gossip" about a student or a family's personal information that they see or hear about while volunteering at the school. Parent volunteers are expected to adhere to confidentiality expectations similar to those expected of school staff so that all children can be assured of a supportive learning environment.

Many schools are developing their own Web sites that clarify the types of volunteer activities available and include downloadable application forms. The school's parent organization can be instrumental in helping design a volunteer program by working closely with the principal and other staff members to balance the requirements of staff with their school's parent culture.

For More Information

Assessment for Schools to Evaluate Parent/Family Involvement
http://www.pta.org//parentinvolvement/certification/sa/standard4.asp

Emergency Planning
Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools
http://www.ed.gov/emergencyplan/

A Guide to Creating a Parent Center in an Urban School
http://npin.org/library/1998/n00054/n00054.html

How Intergenerational Programs Can Enhance Schools and Communities
http://npin.org/pnews/1999/pnew599/spot599.html

Parent Involvement in Education: A Resource for Parents, Educators, and Communities
http://npin.org/library/pre1998/n00321/n00321.html

Parent Involvement in Middle School: The Story of One School
An Interview with Barbara Linder
http://npin.org/pnews/2002/pnew302/int302a.html

Parents' Rights
http://www.cde.ca.gov/iasa/parntrts.html

Volunteer School-Parent Groups: Working to Engage Parents in Education
http://npin.org/pnews/2003/pnew103/spot103.html

Volunteering in Everett Public Schools
http://www.everett.k12.wa.us/community/volunteer.html