A New Paradigm for Parent Involvement: Breaking Away from the "Delegation Model"

SOMETHING in the basic structure of American public education is keeping parent involvement from achieving its full potential. I call this basic structural factor the "delegation model." It is the same rationale American society has used for delegating other functions to government over the past 150 years-- fire and police protection, sanitation, public health, welfare, child care, etc. Once such functions have been delegated under this model, the primary reponsibilities left for citizens are to pay taxes and hold officials accountable for the delivery of services.