Are you planning to attend your child’s next school board meeting, but you are unsure how to talk about your concerns? Continue reading to find out how parents and caregivers can influence the decisions made at school board meetings.
Learn About the School Board Meetings and Board Members
Begin by attending a couple of board meetings to see how they are structured. You can also ask them to register your email address so that you can receive emails about future board meetings. These messages will share the objectives for the upcoming meetings, so you can better decide which ones to attend.
Try to update yourself on who has been elected to the board. This will help you understand their inclinations and interests.
You can approach those who you think will be most involved in the needs of children and parents. When you raise an issue in the board meetings, these people could be valuable allies who will advocate for your concerns.
Encourage Other Parents To Join the Meeting
If you know any parents whose children struggle with the same challenges that you and your child do, encourage them to attend the meetings, as well. When you raise your concerns, these parents will also express their issues and support you.
If you don’t know any such parents and want to find supportive parents, there are several places you can look:
- Your district’s special education parent committee
- Local dyslexia support groups
- Neighborhood groups or parent organizations, like PTA or PTO
Even if you find one such parent, the chances are that they can get you acquainted with other parents who would support you when you speak up.
Find Out If You Can Approach a Local Teachers’ Group
Many teachers are encouraged to develop professional learning communities (PLCs). These groups engage in learning different ways to help support students. It would be quite helpful to approach such a group and persuade them to support your issue.
Be Prepared To Speak Up
When you attend a couple of meetings, you will know how much time parents get to speak. Prepare a speech under this time limit and practice it so that you are prepared and convincing.
It is best to include statistics to show how many students are suffering and that it is not just one child. Remain polite yet resolute.
Concluding Thoughts
Parents are concerned about things that affect their children, but they often do not realize the power that student board meetings give them.
You can attend your child’s board meetings and speak up on relevant issues. Keep in mind the tips we have shared above, and you will be able to help your child, as well as many other students who are dealing with the same issues.
