NYC Sees Surge in Number of Families Getting Involved at Their Children’s Schools

According to new data released by New York City School officials, more New York families are getting involved in their children’s education.

City Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina said figures from the 2015-16 school year reveal a significant increase in families getting involved. In fact, the numbers reach well into the thousands for families who are attending teacher conferences, workshops, and other meetings.

Approximately 5.2 million mothers and 214,000 fathers identify as stay-at-home parents, but even those who don’t are making an effort to become more involved in their kids’ schooling.

“Reaching every parent, grandparent, and guardian of our city’s children is essential and I am proud of the incredible growth we’ve seen,” Farina said. “Families are valued and respected partners — regardless of their home language and the zip code they live in.”

Farina said that the recent gains were put into motion when she and Mayor de Blasio took office in 2014.

Since then, city schools reported 1.98 million parent-teacher conferences, up from 1.44 million in 2013-14, as well as 1.59 million in-person meetings between students’ families and school parent coordinators, up from 1.28 million.

However, improving family participation isn’t the only goal on Farina’s checklist.

She and de Blasio are currently working towards building on the successful universal pre-kindergarten programs by improving failing schools and creating more diverse environments for students.

“Every child will achieve, every parent will be happy and every teacher will feel their best,” she said. “That’s what I hope to do over the course of the year. I’m very excited.”

Entering her 51st year as an educator working in city schools, Farina is working to build on programs that bring more social services, such as literacy coaches and guidance counselors, to schools everywhere.

Not only that, but she and de Blasio will also be doubling down on previous efforts to overhaul 94 troubled schools that have posted mixed results despite the city’s best efforts.

While reviving troubled schools poses quite the challenge, Farina has seen wild success in getting more families involved in education.

Bronx mom Beverly Lizardi said she’s participated in multiple new activities offered for families at her daughter’s high school in the last year.

“As a mom, I like to get involved with the kids’ activities at school,” Lizardi said. “My daughter is more confident seeing me take part.”