The Grow Network/McGraw-Hill Launches Parent/Teacher Advisory Panel Series
Discussions to Promote Family Involvement in Education
PRNewswire
NEW YORK
Nov 6, 2008
The Grow Network/McGraw-Hill (Grow), a national leader in educational assessment reporting and individualized instruction, launched the first in a series of Parent/Teacher Advisory Panels designed to promote family involvement in education. Participants from several school districts, including active members of PTA organizations and school parent coordinators, attended the inaugural panel meeting, which addressed the need to improve communication between parents and schools.
"We know parents play an important role in accelerating their children's academic performance," said Mark Malaspina, president of The Grow Network/McGraw-Hill. "Grow's ongoing mission with the Parent/Teacher Advisory Panel is to work with schools and educators to develop innovative educational materials that support students' academic achievement. The best way to ensure that we are providing the right products and services to parents is to hear their concerns and needs and respond accordingly."
Key findings from the inaugural panel discussions indicate that parents need:
-- Assistance in interpreting their children's assessment results
-- Access to individual student plans targeting specific areas where help is needed
-- Availability and access to both print and online support tools
-- Information about school curriculum and what is being taught in the classroom
-- Resources and activities to help prepare students for the next level of learning
Feedback received from parents and teachers during this series of panel meetings will be used to inform the education community, promote family involvement in education, shape future product planning, and ensure that parental engagement tools are consistent with the needs articulated by parents.
The Parent/Teacher Advisory Panel is part of Grow's ongoing, nationwide initiative to identify strategies and tools that can foster meaningful parental participation in education, which has been demonstrated to improve students' academic success. In August 2008, Grow launched the Parent Engagement Leadership Board, an independent panel of family and educational researchers, administrators, and practitioners. These experts are exchanging ideas on how to better serve the educational community, students, and parents through parental engagement.
The Grow Network is the provider of Parent Network, a unique online parent engagement portal used by state education departments to quickly allow families to see and understand their students' assessment results in the context of state standards. Parent Network provides families with Personal Action Plans, which include skill-building activities customized to each student's learning needs, to help all students succeed.
About The Grow Network/McGraw-Hill
Established in March 2000, The Grow Network/McGraw-Hill has become a nationally recognized leader in individualized instruction and educational assessment reporting. The Grow Network's innovative, patent-pending system offers dynamic reports and differentiated learning tools, online and in print, for families, teachers, and educational leaders. The Grow Network CTB/McGraw-Hill LLC is part of the Assessment and Reporting group of McGraw- Hill Education (MHE), a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP). MHE is a leading global provider of print and digital instructional, assessment and reference solutions that empower professionals and students of all ages. MHE has offices in 33 countries and publishes in more than 60 languages. Additional information is available at http://info.grow.net/.
Media Inquiries Kelley Carpenter Director, Communications (831) 393-7196 kelley_carpenter@mcgraw-hill.com
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SOURCE: The Grow Network/McGraw-Hill
CONTACT:
Kelley Carpenter
Director, Communications
+1-831-393-7196
kelley_carpenter@mcgraw-hill.com