NYC Parents Getting More Involved with their Kids Education

When it comes to their children’s education, NYC parents are more involved than ever, Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña told the New York Daily News.

Since an overhaul of the city’s family outreach efforts in 2014, the number of school-based workshops for city families increased by 60 percent to date this academic year, with 8,000 parent workshops on such topics as financial literacy and college awareness held so far. And parent attendance at these workshops has increased by nearly 59 percent, according to NYC Education Department figures.

“We’re focusing on supporting hard-to-reach students and their families, and building strong partnerships with the entire school community,” Fariña said. “I am proud of the incredible growth our schools have made to engage families as partners in their children’s education.”

Parent-teacher conference attendance has also increased by nearly 38 percent for this school year. That is consistent with last year’s school board elections, where voter turnout and parent participation increased by more than half.

“We made clear at the outset that our administration would elevate and empower public school parents as never before, and that’s precisely what we’re seeing,” said Mayor de Blasio. “That’s a testament not only to our increased outreach to parents, but to the increased value we have put on parent voices in making school decisions.”