# Schools that Make the Grade

## What Successful Schools Do to Improve Student Achievement

by **Martin J.A. Ratcliffe, Ed.D.** Southeastern University Lakeland, FL and **Melissa L. Harts, Ed.D.** Hernando County Schools Brooksville, FL with invited contributors

## About the Authors

### Martin J.A. Ratcliffe, Ed.D.
Assistant Professor, College of Education, Southeastern University, 1000 Longfellow Boulevard, Lakeland, FL 33801

Dr. Ratcliffe is Assistant Professor of Education at Southeastern University in Florida. He earned his certificate in education through the Teachers’ Training College in Bulawayo, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), and then his bachelor’s degree in education through the University of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and his master of arts degree in education and doctor of education degree through Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He gives glory to God for enabling him to complete the years of research that laid the foundation for this book.

### Melissa L. Harts, Ed.D.
Director of Technology and Information Services, Hernando County Schools, 919 North Broad Street, Brooksville, FL 34601

Dr. Harts is Director of Technology and Information Services for Hernando County Schools in Florida. She is a native of New York, where she attended Fordham University for her undergraduate studies. She later received her first master of science degree from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. Following her passion for education and teaching young people, she then enrolled in Columbia University Teachers College, where she received a master’s degree in education and a doctorate in instructional technology.

## Contributors
- Samuel R. Bennett, Ed.D.
- Glenn S. Gardner, M.Ed.
- Mary Brezinski, M.Ed.
- Heather Croft Jackson, M.Ed., OTR/L, NBCOT
- Scott Bryan, Ed.D.
- Sonya Jackson, M.Ed.
- James Dwight Davidson, Ed.D.
- Helene Robinson, Ed.D.

## Contents
1. The Adequate Yearly Progress/Student Achievement Crisis - Page 1
2. What Makes a School Effective in Improving Student Achievement? - Page 19
3. Positive Home–School Relations Correlate - Page 35
4. Opportunity to Learn and Student Time on Task Correlate - Page 53
5. Climate of High Expectations Correlate - Page 69
6. Clear and Focused Mission Correlate - Page 85
7. Frequent Monitoring of Student Progress Correlate - Page 109
8. Instructional Leadership Correlate - Page 125
9. Safe and Orderly Environment Correlate - Page 141
10. The Clarion Call - Page 159
11. References - Page 169
12. Index - Page 183

## 3 Positive Home–School Relations Correlate

### with Samuel R. Bennett

*The American family is the rock on which a solid education can and must be built.*
– Richard W. Riley (1994)

### Correlate Definition
In proficient schools, parents are cognizant of the school’s basic mission, support it, and are provided opportunities of involvement to aid the school in achieving its mission.

*Our state school grade had been released showing that once again J.D. Floyd had made an A. However, the principal and I [Melissa Harts] wanted to explain to parents what the disaggregated data showed per grade level and what areas we needed to work on to strengthen student skills. We also wanted to give them strategies that could be used at home to support instruction in the classroom...*

### IMPORTANCE OF POSITIVE HOME–SCHOOL RELATIONS
The number one predictor of student academic success as measured by the all-important AYP scores is the Positive Home–School Relations correlate (Ratcliffe, 2006).

U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan highlighted these points by describing parents as teachers noting the importance of parent–school partnerships (National Public Radio, 2010).

A study conducted by Houtenville and Conway (2008) showed that parental involvement has a strong, positive effect on student achievement. In a 2003 report, Parsing the Achievement Gap II, the Educational Testing Service reported national trends between students of diverse racial and socioeconomic backgrounds (Educational Testing Service, 2003).

### STRATEGIES FOR CREATING EFFECTIVE HOME–SCHOOL RELATIONS
1. **Communication**
2. **Support**
3. **Attendance**
4. **Planning**
5. **Engagement**
6. **Implementation**
7. **Involvement**

### What Highly Effective Superintendents and District Administrators Do
- Stress the vision of a positive, collaborative home–school partnership to all constituents, particularly parents.
- Return parent telephone calls in a timely fashion.
- Draft parent-friendly policies that solicit and encourage positive parent involvement in the school.

### What Highly Effective Principals and School Administrators Do
- Maintain attractive, user-friendly, and updated web sites.
- Use every means and occasion to actively demonstrate that learning is highly valued and celebrated at your school.

### What Highly Effective Teachers Do
- Treat parents respectfully as partners.
- Maintain regular and prompt communication with the home through notes, letters, telephone calls, web site links, and volunteer opportunities.

## Home Support Positively Affects Academics

Several factors influence parental involvement, including a parent’s confidence level, ethnicity, and educational and socioeconomic background. Significant research supports the connection between parental involvement and student success, particularly in low-income schools. Teachers, principals, and school districts need to continually work to foster these partnerships to achieve educational goals.

### CASE STUDY: SCHOOL 1
**Dave Dannemiller**, former principal of Pine Grove Elementary, stated that parental support is critical to a school making AYP. Parental involvement played a significant role in the success of the school by fostering a collaborative environment.

### CASE STUDY: SCHOOL 2  
**John D. Floyd K-8 Environmental Science School** faced challenges in parental involvement despite various outreach efforts, suggesting a need for improved communication and engagement strategies.

## SUMMARY
The research consistently indicates that positive home–school relations are essential for student success. Schools must actively engage and involve parents to build a strong foundation for student achievement.