- Children are entitled to have parents, advocates, and concerned educators involved
in all decisions affecting their education.
- Does your child's school communicate with parents in their home language?
- Does your child's school involve parents from diverse racial and language backgrounds in
decision making about how to run the school?
- Does your child's school work with diverse community groups on school and
community events?
- Does your child's school keep you well-informed about his or her behavior and
progress in school?
- Does our child's school keep you well-informed about school events?
- Does your child's school hold programs for parents on educational and parenting
issues at times and places convenient for parents? Are programs available in
different languages and/or translators provided?
- Does your child's school involve parents in everyday school activities?
- Children are entitled to integrated and diverse classrooms that support different
learning styles and abilities.
- Does your child's school value all children equally, no matter what their abilities,
ethnic background, or socioeconomic status?
- Does your child's school reflect the racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic composition
of the entire school district?
- Does your child's school district keep you well informed about school admission
and procedures?
- Does your child's classroom reflect the racial, ethnic and socioeconomic
composition of the entire school population?
- Does your child's school integrate children of all ability levels for instruction?
- Does your child's school ensure that all students are exposed to high-quality
materials and stimulating instruction?
- Does your child's school utilize a wide variety of teaching
methods?
- Children are entitled to developmentally appropriate and culturally supportive
curriculum and teaching strategies offered in languages they can understand.
- Does your child's school use student's experiences, including those based on
culture, race, and language as a resource in developing curriculum?
- Does your child's school use the various groups in the community as a resource in
developing curricula?
- Does your child's school promote active learning through doing, creating and
experimenting?
- Does your child's school provide English language learners with the opportunity to
develop full proficiency in English?
- Does your child's school provide English language learners with challenging
curricula and comprehensible instruction in English and/or the native language
within content areas?
- Does your child's school offer opportunities to learn in two languages?
- Children are entitled to full access to a common body of knowledge and the
opportunity to acquire higher-order skills.
- Does your child's school encourage students to think about complex problems?
- Does your child have access to high-quality materials including books, computers
and/or primary sources?
- Does your child's school encourage teachers to experiment and collaborate in
creating curriculum and developing teaching strategies?
- Children are entitled to assessment and grading strategies that enhance individual
strengths and potential.
- Does your child's school monitors the progress of your child using different types
of assessments?
- Does our child's keep you well informed about the purposes and consequences of
standardized tests?
- Does your school make special accommodations in standardized tests to assess
students who have special needs? (English language learners, special education
students)
- Does your child's school encourage the use of alternative means of assessment
such as student portfolios?
- Does your child's school use mixed-age grouping to encourage learning across
grade lines?
- Does your child's school minimize the use of grade retention?
- Children are entitled to support services that address individual needs.
- Does your child's school provide culturally appropriate and linguistically accessible
support services to students and families?
- Does your child's school provide counseling services to children?
- Does your child have access to specialized services offered in school if needed?
(English-as-a-second-language; speech and language therapy; special education
teachers: etc.)
- Do school counselors, English-as-a-second-language teachers and/or other
specialists work closely with classroom teachers?
- Does your child's school collaborate with community
organizations to refer
students and their families to appropriate outside services?
- Children are entitled to attend schools that are safe, attractive, and free from prejudice.
- Does your child's school promote respect for children and families of diverse
racial. ethnic and language backgrounds?
- Does your child's school provides equal opportunities for boys and girls of diverse
backgrounds?
- Does your child's school actively condemn discriminatory and intolerant behavior?
- Children are entitled to attend school unless they pose a danger to other children or school
staff.
- Is your child's school a safe place to be?
- Does your child's school treat all children with fairness?
- Does your child's school have an orderly and inviting
environment?
- Does your child's school actively encourage good attendance?
- Children are entitled to instruction by teachers who hold high expectations for all students
and who are fully prepared to meet the challenge of diverse classrooms.
- Does your child's school hold high expectations for all its students regardless of
ability level and language proficiency?
- Does your child's school have content teachers who are trained to address the
linguistic and cultural needs of diverse student populations?
- Does your child's school include children with special needs in all curricular and
extracurricular activities?
- Does your child's school develop and implement long-term staff development
programs to address a variety of teacher needs?
- Children are entitled to equal educational opportunity supported by greater
resources for schools serving students most vulnerable to school failure.
- Does your child's school keep parents and teachers informed about budgetary and
financial issues?
- Does your child's school have sufficient high-quality educational materials and
equipment?
- Does your child's school offer a range of quality support services?
Source: Adapted by Charo Basterra from Mobilization for Equity, published by The
National Coalition of Advocates for Students.
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