Leadership+Perspectives


 * __ The Principal __**

Wayne Jennings (1989), who as a principal has worked extensively with parent advisory committees in 4 schools, states the roles of parent councils can include decisions about staffing, budget, curriculum policy, and program evaluation. With the introduction and implementation of any such trends to materialize, Williams (2009) suggests “leadership in schools is the key to success for the entire learning community” (p. 30). Williams (2009) further argues this can be accomplished by administrators creating conditions within the school community for growth, self-renewal, as well as development and distribution of leadership throughout the organization. In these parent councils, school leaders are either active participants or outside observers that should not take a simple top-down approach to push their own agendas (Zepeda, 2012). Jennings (1989) believes that a principal take a direct but limited role stating councils should include the “principal as ex officio” (p. 44). Zepeda (2012) further adds that they should function as equal members “discussing and sharing information related to […] learning” and providing the group with a “sense of legitimacy and importance within the school’s culture” (p. 186). If school leaders share these positive beliefs towards parent councils with staff members, it can lead to them adopting similar values, further increasing the legitimacy of these councils in the educational system (Leithwood, Jantzi, & Steinback, 1998).

Nevertheless, these aforementioned points are controversial given the powerful role principals have. They have a vision for the school that they are trying to convey, so they have an underlying agenda in these groups. Consequently, it is not surprising that Leithwood, Jantzi, and Steinback, (1998) state that “[i]n empirical literature, the most frequently cited obstacles to the development of an effective school council are power struggles and political conflict” as principals are required give up some of their bureaucratic power as well embrace changes that are suggested by parents (p. 6). Leithwood //et al.// further observed that “[p]rincipals have demonstrated a remarkable capacity to either derail community-dominated councils in order to retain decision-making control for themselves or to ensure council effectiveness.” (p. 9).

School leaders want to do what is best for their school, staff, and most importantly their students. The literature cites little correlation between parent councils and enhancing student learning nevertheless, the literature does agree the positive or negative impact an administrator can have in allowing these councils to become part of the school community. Nygaard (2010) shares that parent councils are more embedded into the culture of a school when they have a principal who:
 * shares data.
 * supports council decisions even though they might not initially agree.
 * respects council members as leaders.

References

Jennings, W. (1989). How to Organize Successful Parent Advisory Committees. //Educational Leadership,// //47//(2), 42-45.

Nygaard, R. (2010). Sources of confidence in school community councils. //The School Community Journal//, //20//(2), 137-158

Leithwood, K., Jantzi, D., & Steinback, R. (1998). Do School Councils Matter? Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Diego, April.

Williams, H.S. (2009) Leadership capacity – a key to sustaining lasting improvement. //Education, 130//(1), 30-41.

Zepeda, S.J. (2012). //Professional development. What works// (2nd ed.). Larchmont. NY. USA: Eye on Education, Inc.  __**The Parents **__ How do effective parent councils affect the business and culture of education and school from a parent’s perspective __**? **__

As a means of bridging the gap between schools and the community, parent councils have been implemented in many schools as a mechanism for engaging parents in the decision-making process so as to ensure that their voice is heard. The responsibility for providing students with excellent educational opportunities is no longer solely the responsibility of the school. In an era of increased accountability, sharing the responsibility of school governance through a process that involves all stakeholders is becoming the norm. Henderson (1986) states that parent councils “create opportunities for parents to contribute 'beyond the bake sale'”(as cited in Stelmach & Preston, 2008, p. 59).

Therefore, what conditions are necessary for parents to effectively contribute to their child’s education through, for example, a parent council?

Fullan (1997) noted that “the presence of school councils per se will not improve student achievement, but nothing motivates a child more than a climate in which learning is valued by a partnership of school, family, and community” (as cited in Pharis & Bass, 2005, p. 33). Through this shared decision-making model, the responsibility of shared-decisions falls on all stakeholders involved, not solely the school (as it was in the past). Parents attribute the effectiveness of councils to that of positively contributing to the education of their children. It is through this model of shared responsibility that parents can be actively engaged in the education process, can meaningfully have their voice heard and share the responsibility of decision-making with other stakeholders in education.

A report on effective school councils, commissioned by the Alberta Government (2004), explains that “Factors affecting [councils] include, but are not limited to, leadership and commitment by parents, principals and school boards; clarity about the purpose of a school council and levels of interest by parents in initiating and sustaining a council” (p. 8). As the education system moves toward one where all stakeholders are engaged in the decision-making process, it is important that all involved be acutely aware of their role in education and the responsibility that comes with this role.

No longer are parents solely being relegated to “bake sales”, they are being asked to contribute to their child’s education in a more meaningful and significant way.

References

Alberta Government (2004). School Council Effectiveness: Summary and Findings of the Provincial Consultation. Retrieved from: []

Pharis, T., Bass, R.V. & Pate, J.L. (2005). School Council Member Perceptions and Actual Practice of School Councils in Rural Schools. Rural Educator, 26(2), 33-38.

Stelmach, B.L., & Preston, J.P. (2008). Cake or curriculum. Principal and Parent Views on Transforming the Parental Role in Saskatchewan Schools. ISEA, 36(3), 59-74.