U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION O.M.B. NO.

: 1850-0726
NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS EXPIRATION DATE: 5/31/96
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20208-5651
SURVEY ON FAMILY AND SCHOOL
PARTNERSHIPS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, K-8
FAST RESPONSE SURVEY SYSTEM
This survey is authorized by law (P.L. 103-382). While you are not required to respond, your cooperation is
needed to make the results of this survey comprehensive, accurate, and timely.

DEFINITIONS FOR THIS SURVEY

Advisory Group or Policy Council - A committee that includes parents, separate from any parent-teacher
organization, designed to address school policy issues and make recommendations to school personnel.

Child care programs - Daily programs that provide recreational or educational activities to students at the
school outside of normal school hours.

Homework helpline - A school-sponsored telephone service that provides information about students’
homework assignments to parents and students.

AFFIX LABEL HERE

IF ABOVE INFORMATION IS INCORRECT, PLEASE MAKE CORRECTIONS DIRECTLY ON LABEL.

Name of person completing form: _______________________________ Title: _________________________

Telephone: _________________ Fax: ________________________ E-mail: _______________________

Best days and times to reach you (in case of questions): _____________________________________________

PLEASE RETURN COMPLETED FORM TO: IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, CONTACT:
WESTAT Nancy Carey
1650 Research Boulevard 1-800-937-8281, ext. 4467
Rockville, Maryland 20850 Fax: 1-800-254-0984
Attention: 900211 Carey E-mail: CAREYN1@WESTAT.COM

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a
valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1850-0726. The time required to complete this
information collection is estimated to average 30 minutes per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data
resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the
accuracy of the time estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this form, please write to: U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C.
20202-4651. If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this form, write directly to: National
Center for Education Statistics, 555 New Jersey Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20208.

FRSS Form No. 58, 4/96

Please answer this questionnaire only for the grade range of the school designated on the cover page, but
exclude pre-K classes. Refer to the definitions on the cover for words in bold type.
1. What grades are taught at this school? (Circle all that apply.)
K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
2. In column A, indicate which kinds of activities have been held at your school during the 1995-96 school year. In
column B, select the number that corresponds to the BEST description of the typical parent attendance for each
type of activity. NOTE: When answering column B, if some events at your school are held primarily for certain
classes or students, consider the attendance only for the parents of students who participate in the event. (Circle
one number in column A; if yes, circle one number in column B.)
A. Activity B. Parents attending?
held? More Less
Most than About than
Yes No or all half half half Few
a. Open House or Back-to-School Night ....... 1 2 1 2 3 4 5
b. Regularly-scheduled schoolwide parent-
teacher conferences ................................. 1 2 1 2 3 4 5
c. Arts events such as plays or dance or
musical performances .............................. 1 2 1 2 3 4 5
d. Sports events such as Field Days or other
athletic demonstrations or events ............. 1 2 1 2 3 4 5
e. Science fairs or other academic
demonstrations or events.......................... 1 2 1 2 3 4 5
3. How often do the following forms of communication between parents and staff occur throughout your school?
(Circle one number in each row.)
Always Frequently Sometimes Never
a. Parents are given written interim reports during grading
periods ................................................................................ 1 2 3 4
b. Parents are requested to sign off on homework ................... 1 2 3 4
c. Parents have access to a school-sponsored “homework
helpline” for information on assignments ............................ 1 2 3 4
d. Parents are given written information about the goals and
objectives of the school’s regular instructional program ....... 1 2 3 4
e. Parents are given written information about the school’s
overall performance on standardized tests........................... 1 2 3 4
f. Parents receive positive phone calls or notes from teachers
when their children’s performance improves at school ......... 1 2 3 4
g. Parents are given examples of work that meets high
standards............................................................................. 1 2 3 4
h. Parents are notified about children’s ability-group
placements. (If your school does no ability grouping, check
the box and go on to Question 4.) .................................... 1 2 3 4
4. Does your school provide information to parents on the following topics? If yes, please indicate how it is offered.
(Circle one number in column A; if yes, circle all that apply in column B.)
A. B. How offered?
Information Newsletters
provided? Take-home or other
Workshops audio/ printed
Yes No or classes video material
a. Child or adolescent development..................... 1 2 1 2 3
b. Nutrition, health, or safety................................ 1 2 1 2 3
c. Parenting skills ................................................ 1 2 1 2 3
d. Helping with homework.................................... 1 2 1 2 3
e. Developing study skills .................................... 1 2 1 2 3
f. Ideas for learning activities outside of school... 1 2 1 2 3
g. Information on community services to help
children or their families .................................. 1 2 1 2 3
5. Does your school have a parent resource center, that is, a place where parents can get information on parenting
and school-related issues and can gather informally?

Yes .................................... 1 (Continue with Question 6.) Currently developing one .... 2
No....................................... 3
] (Skip to Question 7.)
6. To what extent do parents make use of this parent resource center?
Very frequently .................. 1 Infrequently or not at all... 3
Somewhat frequently ......... 2 Don’t know ...................... 4
7. Do staff at your school make visits to students’ homes?
Yes .................................... 1 No................................... 2 (Skip to Question 10.)
8. Who makes these visits to students’ homes? (Circle all that apply.)
Teachers............................ 1 School counselor............. 3
Home school coordinator ... 2 Other staff....................... 4 (specify)___________________________
9. Approximately what percent of the families at your school have received at least one home visit during the
1995-96 school year? ___________%
10. Does your school provide any of the following for parents with limited English skills? If your school has NO
parents with limited English skills, check the box and skip to Question 11...........
Yes No
a. Interpreters for meetings or parent-teacher conferences ............................................................ 1 2
b. Translations of printed materials, such as newsletters or school notices .................................... 1 2
c. School signs printed in different languages................................................................................ 1 2
11. In column A, indicate which opportunities are available to parents at your school during the 1995-96 school year.
In column B, select the number that corresponds to the statement that BEST describes how satisfactory the
average parent involvement is for each opportunity. (Circle one number in column A; if yes, circle one number in
column B.)
A. B. Parent
Opportunity involvement?
available? Moderately
Moderately unsatis- Un-
Yes No Satisfactory satisfactory factory satisfactory
a. Serving as volunteers in the classrooms. 1 2 1 2 3 4
b. Serving as volunteers outside the
classrooms ............................................. 1 2 1 2 3 4
c. Assisting in fundraising activities ............ 1 2 1 2 3 4
d. Attending meetings of the parent-
teacher association................................. 1 2 1 2 3 4
12. Does your school or school district have a training program for its classroom volunteers?
Yes .................................... 1 No................................... 2
13. Please indicate the extent to which parent input is considered in making decisions on the following issues at your
school.
Parent input considered?
Great Moderate Small Not
extent extent extent at all
a. Allocation of funds ............................................................. 1 2 3 4
b. Curriculum or overall instructional program ....................... 1 2 3 4
c. The design of special programs ......................................... 1 2 3 4
d. Library books and materials............................................... 1 2 3 4
e. Discipline policies and procedures ..................................... 1 2 3 4
f. Health-related topics or policies, such as drug or alcohol
abuse ................................................................................ 1 2 3 4
g. Monitoring or evaluating teachers ...................................... 1 2 3 4
h. Developing parent involvement activities........................... 1 2 3 4
14. Does your school have an Advisory Group or Policy Council that includes parents (other than as part of a
parent-teacher organization)?
Yes .................................... 1 No................................... 2
15. Does your school receive assistance on parent involvement activities from your school district or state in any of
the following ways? (Circle one number in the district column and one number in the state column.)
Assistance from:
District? State?
Don’t
Yes No Yes No know
a. Setting policies for involving parents in school activities ........ 1 2 1 2 3
b. Providing technical assistance for parent programs to school
staff (e.g., workshops, training) .............................................. 1 2 1 2 3
c. Providing staff to assist your school in parent programs......... 1 2 1 2 3
d. Providing funds for parent programs...................................... 1 2 1 2 3
16. To what extent are the following concerns barriers to parent involvement in your school?
Great Moderate Small Not at
extent extent extent all
a. Lack of time on the part of parents .................................... 1 2 3 4
b. Lack of time on the part of staff ......................................... 1 2 3 4
c. Lack of staff training in working with parents...................... 1 2 3 4
d. Cultural or socioeconomic differences between parents
and staff ............................................................................ 1 2 3 4
e. Language differences between parents and staff ............... 1 2 3 4
f. Lack of parent education to help with schoolwork .............. 1 2 3 4
g. Parent attitudes about the school....................................... 1 2 3 4
h. Staff attitudes about the parents ........................................ 1 2 3 4
i. Safety in the area after school hours ................................. 1 2 3 4
17. Does your school have voluntary written agreements (e.g., compacts or learning contracts) between the school
and individual parents on what each will do to help students succeed in school?
Yes .................................... 1 No................................... 2 (Skip to Question 20.)

18. For whom are these voluntary written agreements prepared?

All parents.......................... 1 (Skip to Question 20.)

Some parents .................... 2
19. For parents of which students do you request such written agreements? (Circle all that apply.)
Title I ................................. 1
Other ................................ 2 (specify)___________________________________________
20. Are there daily child care programs offered to students at your school (regardless of sponsorship)?
Yes .................................... 1 No................................... 2 (Skip to Question 22.)
21. When are these child care programs offered? (Circle all that apply.)
Before school..................... 1 After school..................... 2
22. What percent of the students in your school are eligible for the free- or reduced-price lunch program? ________%
23. Does your school receive federal Title I funds?
Yes .................................... 1 No................................... 2
24. Does your school operate a Title I school-wide program?
Yes .................................... 1 No................................... 2
THANK YOU. PLEASE RETAIN A COPY OF THIS SURVEY FOR YOUR FILES.