Home
>
Parenting
>
Top Ten Things Parents Must Know About State Academic Standards (What Your Child s/b Learning)

Top Ten Things Parents Must Know About State Academic Standards (What Your Child s/b Learning)

Public education in the United States has never been equal for all students. It appears that those school districts located in wealthy communities have a bit more resources than those in poorer communities. Today more than ever, parents need to step up to the plate and learn how the educational system works. It is imperative that parents no longer leave the decisions made around the education of children solely in the hands of bureaucrats who likely have no children in the school district and/or may not even live in the community.

Below are ten things parents must do before enrolling their child in any school public or private.

1. Get a copy of your state's academic standards. Academic standards are open and public statements detailing what all children should know and be able to do in each state. A typical writing standard, for example, states that all students should be able to pre-write, draft, edit and revise. Students progress through these stages to write, clear, coherent and focused paragraphs and essays. State standards should be available on your state's website and may be divided by grade level or subject.

2. Schedule a time when your child's teacher can review these standards with you.

3. Check your child's homework and class work to see if it aligns with the state academic standards.

4. Ask the principal to hold a parent meeting to discuss the state academic standards and explain how standardized test evaluate what children are learning or not learning in alignment with state standards.

5. Beginning in 2005-06, all schools will measure student achievement yearly in reading and math in grades 3-8, and at least once during the high school years. Ask the teacher and principal if these tests will align with state standards.

6. Discuss with your principal how you as a parent can assist your child in meeting or exceeding the state academic standards. Request that your principal use Title I Parent Involvement funds to offer training for parents interested in helping their children improve academically.

7. Parents will also want to know if teachers receive test results in a timely fashion so that they can be used to improve instruction.

8. What is your school district doing about test anxiety? One of the best ways to reduce test anxiety is to make sure students are well prepared with the concepts, skills and knowledge on which they will be tested.

9. Parent must contact their principal to find out how student achievement levels compare to other districts, and states, by subject and student group.

10. Parent must always contact their state legislator if they are not satisfied with school funding. You put them in office to work for you. It's about time you now hold them accountable.

The reality is that parents are their child's first teacher and if parents are stumbling through the educational maze they will not do a good job of making sure they are providing the best education possible for their child. Parents must know what questions to ask and what answers should be received. No longer can we rest on our laurels, work fifty or sixty hours a week and expect others to assure our student's achievement. Knowledge is power, and that has never been more true than today.

Detra D. Davis is a writer and educational consultant with over 20 years of experience. Author of several e-books, email Detra at: detra_davis@supportingourchildren.com, or by mail: J. Davis & Associates, P. O. Box 4935, Cary, NC 27513-4935. To learn more visit: detra_davis@supportingourchildren.com

cleaning team near Winnetka ..

In The News:

Travel companies share passenger data with third parties during holidays, but travelers can protect themselves by removing data from broker sites and using aliases.

Xpeng's humanoid robot moves so realistically that crowds believed it was fake, marking a major advancement in robotics technology ahead of 2026 commercial launch.

Researchers discover phishing scam using invisible characters to evade email security, with protection tips including password managers and two-factor authentication.

iPhone and Android users can reduce battery drain and data usage by restricting Background App Refresh to Wi-Fi connections instead of mobile networks.

Scammers nearly stole an Apple account by exploiting the support system with authentic-looking tickets and phone calls, users can protect themselves with safety steps.

FoloToy restored sales of its AI teddy bear Kumma after a weeklong suspension following safety group findings of risky and inappropriate responses to children.

Threat intelligence firm Synthient uncovers one of the largest password exposures ever, prompting immediate security recommendations.

Viral video shared by Elon Musk shows Tesla's Optimus humanoid robots performing tasks from cooking to construction, garnering over 58.5 million views on social media.

Chinese hackers used Anthropic's Claude AI to launch autonomous cyberattacks on 30 organizations worldwide, marking a major shift in cybersecurity threats.

Apple's new Sleep Score feature gives you a rating for your nightly rest quality. Learn how to set it up on your Apple Watch and iPhone today.

Essential phone settings to enable before losing your device, including Find My network, location services and security features for iPhone and Android.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

Cybersecurity research shows weak passwords remain a major threat, with simple patterns and number sequences putting millions of accounts at risk.

New Android malware BankBot YNRK silences phones, steals banking data and drains crypto wallets automatically. Learn how this advanced threat works.

FDA approves first human trial for Paradromics' brain-computer interface that could restore speech for paralyzed patients through neural technology.

New phishing platform QRR targets Microsoft 365 users across 1,000 domains in 90 countries. Learn how to spot fake login pages and protect your accounts.

OpenTable now uses AI to track your dining habits and share insights with restaurants. Learn what data they collect and how to protect your privacy.

Google's discontinued Nest thermostats still secretly upload home data to company servers despite losing smart features, raising serious privacy concerns.

New Android malware NGate steals NFC payment codes in real-time, allowing criminals to withdraw cash from ATMs without your card. Learn protection tips.

DoorDash confirms data breach exposing customer names, emails, addresses after social engineering attack. Learn how to protect yourself from scams.

Concerned about Google's AI scanning your Gmail? Learn how to disable Gemini features that access your emails, Drive files and Chat messages for privacy.

Google warns Android users about dangerous fake VPN apps hiding malware that steals passwords, banking details and personal data from phones and tablets.

Apple's digital passport feature lets iPhone users breeze through TSA checkpoints this holiday season using Digital ID technology at 250+ airports.

A new phishing scam targets family photos with fake "Cloud Storage Full" alerts. Criminals steal credit card information through fake sites. Learn protection tips.

South Korean scientists create ultra-thin fabric muscles that turn clothes into robotic assistants, lifting 33 pounds while weighing under half an ounce.

Top Ten Things Parents Must Know About State Academic Standards (What Your Child s/b Learning)

Parenting