Times have changed. Mom got a full-time job. The kids all have places to go and things to do--oboe lessons, swimming, soccer, jazz dance class, or, worse, hanging out with "they's homies" in the 'hood until Mom drags in around 7, dog-tired after a long commute. (No one knows where Dad is.)

How do schools get these busy (and invisible) parents involved in their child's school life? Last fall, Chicago kicked off a "Fathers Walk Their Sons To School Day" during the first weeks of school, and especially on the first day. What else could be done?

Parents will not become involved in children's education unless (1) they are deeply committed to the importance of learning and (2) they see education as part of their role as parents, not as something to be delegated exclusively to the schools. Unfortunately, many parents look upon education as a service that they pay (via taxes) someone else to do and feel that this should be enough. However, any teacher will tell you that a student's success in school (i.e., how much he or she learns) and the student's attitude often correlate with the degree of interest and involvement in education that exists at home.

Schools can initiate programs that involve parents, but the sad truth is that those parents who must need to become involved rarely do. In my experience, the parents of honor students were usually the ones who showed up at PTA meetings and the like. The parents of troubled students did not. It's a chicken-and-egg question, of course, but these parents' non-involvement in school-sponsored programs most likely reflects a lack of conviction that education is a responsibility that they share with the school.

I don't know how we get around this, but I also feel that even those parents who are involved in the schools tend to be concerned only about outcomes – i.e., grades. They don't care especially about whether Johnny and Jane learn much as long as they get high grades. This could be a reflection of the emphasis on school merely as a place to get credentialed for later life (via a diploma or a degree) rather than as a place to develop the mind. I think every teacher has dozens of stories about parents who come in to complain about Johnny's low grades but never once ask what Johnny needs to learn to do better.

What about charter schools?

A Texas friend told me that great things are happening at Carver Academy in San Antonio. Here's information from their Web site:

The Carver Academy is a non-profit, private school serving a socio-economically and culturally diverse student population, grades pre-kindergarten through sixth. The Carver Academy follows a traditional school calendar August through May.

The Carver Academy provides an environment which promotes accelerated academics accompanied by high expectations. The curriculum is based on state and national standards. It is enhanced with many field trips, hands-on activities, guest speakers, projects and enriching activities.

In addition to the core subjects, The Carver Academy enlists teacher specialists to provide instruction in Japanese, German, Spanish, music, band, technology, and physical education. The Carver Academy staff and faculty believe that children learn best in a nurturing environment where parents and educators strive to provide an atmosphere of mutual respect.