Overcoming Barriers to Parent Involvement in Schools

The NCREL provides the following remedial strategies for overcoming barriers to involvement of parents in schools.

Lack of transportation, child care	Provide transportation, child care, etc.
Lack of 'teaching skills'	Provide daily routine (home) activities
Overwhelmed by basic needs with limited resources available	Provide information about services and referral if appropriate
Language difficulties (eg non-English speaking, non-reading)	Provide information about language difficulties
Employment schedules make involvement difficult	Schedule breakfast meeting, evening meeting, set up meeting at place of employment
Feelings of alienation towards schools, teachers, administrators	Ask involved parent to initiate contact; involve community or church leader as intermediary
Add your own and your colleagues' suggestions here	Add your own and your colleagues' suggestions here