Do Parent Trigger laws work?

Early indications are positive, according to an October 8 press release from Parent Revolution:

Ever since parents began using California’s historic Parent Empowerment Act, a key question has followed our work around California and the nation: Does parent power lead to student success?

We know that the challenging nature of school transformation efforts means that it will take years to more conclusively answer that question. Almost all student assessments were suspended in California schools last year due to field-testing for new Common Core-aligned assessments.

Even with that enormous challenge, however, it is encouraging to see that the first two Parent Trigger schools saw significant student gains in CST science scores, the one test that was administered last year. Here is some raw data:

24th Street / Crown Preparatory Academy

CST Science – Grade 5, Grade 8, and Grade 10 Life Science

	2013	2014
Students Tested	84	102
% of Enrolled	98.8%
Students with Scores	84	101
Mean Scale Score	312.6	373.0
% Advanced	2%	33%
% Proficient	19%	32%
% Basic	42%	23%
% Below Basic	18%	7%
% Far Below Basic	19%	6%

Desert Trails Preparatory Academy

CST Science – Grade 5, Grade 8, and Grade 10 Life Science

	2013	2014
Students Tested	82	68
% of Enrolled	83.7%
Students with Scores	82	68
Mean Scale Score	297.5	348.5
% Advanced	2%	12%
% Proficient	10%	35%
% Basic	30%	38%
% Below Basic	30%	9%
% Far Below Basic	27%	6%

10 year science score data for Desert Trails Elementary Schools

Year	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014
Adv.	3	2	0	2	4	0	0	3	5	2	12
Prof.	8	15	14	13	24	21	12	19	26	10	35
Basic.	45	38	37	35	44	30	34	33	30	30	38
BB	30	27	37	25	17	21	32	24	11	30	9
FBB	15	19	12	26	11	28	23	20	28	27	6
Adv./Prof	11%	17%	14%	15%	29%	21%	12%	22%	31%	12%	47%

This data, while very limited in nature, also aligns with the parent survey data gathered at the end of last year, in which 91 percent of parents at Desert Trails Preparatory Academy and 83 percent of the parents at 24th Street Elementary said their schools had improved from the year before.

Kathy Duncan, a parent of two Desert Trails Preparatory students, shared her satisfaction with the school’s transformation: "As a parent, I am happy to send my child to DTPA. Everyone was happy the first day. I saw new faces that had never seen before. I would like to shine a light on [Desert Trails school leader] Ms. Debbie Tarver and her staff. My children, Jeremiah and Evelyn have had an exceptional time at DTPA."

While this data doesn’t paint anything close to a complete picture, it’s promising. Chief Strategy Officer Gabe Rose explains, "We of course cannot draw conclusions based on one subject test during one year, but the emerging evidence at these schools gives us an abundance of hope that we are on the right track, and can’t wait to share all data we gather with parents as they organize to do what’s best for their kids. We know from research that at best, only 25-30 percent of school turnaround efforts generally succeed, but we are confident that the consistent presence of organized and engaged parents will make our efforts substantially more successful."

Yes, it matters to close the political power gap and to empower low-income parents of color. It’s not only the right thing to do, and it can, does, and will turn schools around so they work better for all kids -- because all kids matter.

Oklahoma educational-choice champion wins 'November's most important election'

"Going forward, the GOP needs to study the trends and look for ways, through solid policy, to give citizens good reasons to vote for them instead of staying home on Election Day," The Oklahoman notes today in an excellent editorial.

One place to start is with education. Republicans in the Legislature backpedaled this year from education reforms such as third-grade reading tests and Common Core. They might note the re-election of Rep. Jason Nelson, R-Oklahoma City. Nelson supports school choice, charter schools and greater parental control. He authored legislation to create education savings accounts that allow parents to use state dollars for a child’s tutoring or private schools. That such an agenda can win in a truly competitive district shows school choice and parental empowerment are winning issues. Statewide, several pro-school choice candidates from both parties won legislative races.

Not only did Nelson win in a competitive district. He won despite being targeted by state's most powerful school-employee labor union, which dubbed his race "November's most important election."

School officials want parental involvment, except when they don't

"The need for parental involvement in a child's education is almost universally acknowledged," The Oklahoman editorializes today. "Yet too many school officials send mixed messages regarding their support for parental participation."

Some school administrators in Oklahoma, who undoubtedly cite lack of parental involvement as an education challenge, have fought against legislative proposals that would boost parental power.

Most famously, school officials in the Tulsa area sued the parents of children with special needs who qualified for state scholarships. The Oklahoma Supreme Court ultimately tossed that lawsuit, but it sent a clear message: School administrators' support for parental involvement has its limits, particularly if the parents of a child with autism seriously seek the best education possible for that child.

In 2012, legislation was filed to create a "parent trigger" law in Oklahoma. Under that proposal, if 51 percent of local parents signed a petition to intervene in a chronically low-performing school, they could force the replacement of staff or convert the school to a charter school.

School administrators opposed the bill.

This year, legislation was filed to create education savings accounts (ESAs) that would allow low-income parents of children at failing schools to use state money to pay for a child to receive tutoring or attend private school. Another bill was filed to allow the creation of charter schools in rural communities when local parents want more options.

School administrators opposed both those bills as well.

Apparently, some administrators think parents should be involved in children's education — but not too involved.

Mixed success for educational choice in 2014

Gov. Walker says vouchers have helped the public schools improve.

In a visit to OCPA on May 29, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker offered a passionate defense of Wisconsin’s statewide school voucher program.

It’s not a matter of public schools versus private schools, Walker said. (His own children went to public schools.) Rather, it’s a matter of ensuring that every family has the opportunity to choose the best school for their son or daughter.

Oklahomans want those opportunities. In December 2013 the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice commissioned a statewide survey of Oklahoma voters. The survey was conducted by Braun Research, Inc., a company which has been used by such research firms as Gallup and the Pew Research Center.

Right now more than 9 in 10 Oklahoma students attend a traditional public school. But the survey found that Oklahomans want more choices.

The results are especially pronounced among those voters who are paying the closest attention: parents of school-aged children. One in three parents say they would choose a traditional public school for their children. The rest would choose a private school, a charter school, or homeschooling.

Doubtless aware of this underwhelming demand for its product, the government school monopoly fights hard every legislative session to make sure none of the little revenue units head for the exits. In 2014 the results were mixed.

The monopoly folks were able to squash a charter school expansion bill, a parent trigger bill, and a bill which would have provided Education Savings Accounts to allow low-income kids in Oklahoma’s worst-performing schools (basically the bottom 10 percent) to go to a private school.

They were less successful on other fronts.

The state's scholarship program for Special Education students — which is already saving lives (go to YouTube and type in “Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarship Stories”) — was expanded to include students who have been provided services under an Individual Family Service Plan through the SoonerStart program (see photo below). 

Gov. Mary Fallin inked legislation to expand the Henry Scholarship program.

In addition, Oklahoma’s popular tax-credit scholarship program (63 percent of Oklahoma voters favor it, 28 percent oppose) was expanded.

Under the program, Oklahomans can donate to philanthropic organizations which help families pay private-school tuition. The newest such organization, the Opportunity Scholarship Fund, was launched this year. Board members include OCPA president Michael Carnuccio and state Sen. Jabar Shumate (D-Tulsa).

With these scholarships, kids get an opportunity to go to a school where the third-grade illiteracy rate is — here’s a concept — zero. And donors get a 50 percent tax credit. A new law increases the tax credit to 75 percent.

In his OCPA visit, Gov. Walker made the point that Wisconsin’s voucher program is causing the public schools to improve. No surprise there. As education researcher Greg Forster has noted, “twenty-three empirical studies have examined school choice’s impact on academic outcomes in public schools. Of these, 22 find that choice improves public schools and one finds no visible impact. No empirical study has found that choice harms public schools.”

Let’s empower Oklahoma parents with the choices they want and deserve.

Nelson plans to offer parent trigger bill in 2015

Anna Giaritelli has the story in the May issue of School Reform News.

Give parents and communities a voice in public education

[Guest post by Shirley Ford]

How often does a bill come along that genuinely places power back in the hands of local constituencies? And what does this bill have to do with fixing failing schools?

These questions are at the heart of Oklahoma Senate Bill 1001, the Parent Empowerment Act. If enacted, SB 1001 will return the right back to local parents to have a seat at the table in their chronically failing neighborhood schools.

Yes, this means current powers-that-be will have to share their government power with local citizens – parents, in this case. This is because SB 1001 empowers parents to proactively demand a better education for their children and force change through a petition campaign.

And this is precisely the work that we at Parent Revolution do across the nation to support parents who are fighting to ensure their community’s children get the high quality education all kids deserve.

Under the Parent Empowerment Act, if a majority of parents at a school sign a petition, the parents can demand either new school leadership, by bringing in a new principal and/or vice principal, or a charter conversion. Parents can even leverage the use of a petition campaign to demand the same type of moderate, teacher-supported improvements that current administrators already have at their disposal.

Parents and community leaders have been rallying throughout the state to support the Parent Empowerment Act. Despite the growing groundswell, the plan faces resistance and criticism from entrenched education interests, many of whom misunderstand the purpose of the bill and how it works on the ground. It is not unexpected considering the bill is a new tool for school improvement and will place more power directly in the hands of parents.

All of this begs the question: why fear the Parent Empowerment Act?

If a school is well-performing and students are learning, the school won't even qualify for parent petition and intervention. And if a school is failing, shouldn’t we take a different approach? Shouldn’t parents be involved, since studies have repeatedly shown us that student outcomes improve when parents get engaged? After all, we keep saying that parents need to be involved with their child’s education.

We know that all parents will place their kids as first priority in education policy decisions. As I’ve traveled around the state and heard directly from parents and community leaders searching for better options, they have expressed the need for a real opportunity to have their priority heard. Whether it is Oklahoma or any other state, I have heard this message time and time again from the community.

Why not give parents in poor performing schools the mandate to come together and become active participants in their local schools?

The Parent Empowerment Act is a limited but necessary tool to give parents hope wherever there are children trapped in failing schools. These kids can't wait for change. Their future – and ours as a nation – is at stake. The Parent Empowerment Act is wise public policy that will give parents the tools to demand better for their kids.

SB 1001 overwhelmingly passed the Oklahoma Senate but has been stalled in the House for the 2014 legislative session. This bill is an opportunity to improve public education and empowers parents to take a more active role in their children's education.

When the bill returns in the 2015 legislative session, we hope the Representatives and Senators will come to better understand and support the legislation.

To learn more about the Parent Empowerment Act and what you can do to help, visit http://www.okparentsact.org.

[Shirley Ford is Director of African-American Affairs and Community Engagement Officer for Parent Revolution. An original member of Parent Revolution’s staff, she was one of the preeminent organizers who was instrumental in the narrow passage of California’s Parent Trigger law – the first in the nation.]

Oklahoma senator: 'The civil rights issue of today is school choice'

Expand the 'school choice' conversation

"School choice is the great white hope on the right," Ben Domenech writes ("The Right Needs an ETSY Earner Agenda"), "but they should expand their normal conversation about it to include the parent trigger and education savings accounts which can be used toward Pre-K or toward child care."

The best parent trigger?

School choice.

'Parent trigger' conversation begins in Oklahoma

State Sen. David Holt (R-Oklahoma City) is emerging as the leading voice.