Division of Family & Community Partnerships → Study Circles → About Study Circles  → How do Study Circles Help Schools?

How Study Circles Help Schools

Awareness

Pre- and post-study circle surveys show that teachers better understand the impact of race on school success after participating in a study circle.

One parent did not know that her child needed to be taking higher level classes if he was to go on to college. She now is aware of this and has new confidence to advocate for her child to be placed into higher level classes.

Relationships

Three parents knew each other from attending the same meetings. At those meetings, however, they never talked more than to say hello, and usually sat with parents from their own racial and ethnic backgrounds. After participating in the study circle together, the three now consider each other friends and are working together for the school.

Personal Action

Having gained a new understanding of what is expected of parents and a new sense of empowerment, one parent started a monthly meeting for other Spanish-speaking parents. The parents meet at the school to help each other and to learn how to navigate the school system. This parent, who does not have a high school degree, has since testified before the Board of Education and has trained to be a study circle facilitator.

During one study circle, several participants expressed concern that after-school programs tended to be segregated. Some programs attracted White and Asian students, some African American, and some Latino. Two days after the study circle ended, a staff participant in the study circle started an after-school ‘board game club' that intentionally recruited students from all backgrounds. It is now the school's most diverse club.

Group Action

The school's PTA was floundering and parent involvement was minimal. Study Circle participants worked together to recruit and plan the final PTA meeting of the year. Sixty-five parents (many of whom did not speak English) attended the meeting. The original participants facilitated small group discussions in which parents came up with ideas for new programs and talked about the barriers that usually keep them from participating. Action Teams were created, the PTA officer positions were all filled, and parent involvement has increased.

School Change

The annual School Improvement Plan (SIP) usually represents the ideas of the mostly White staff and one or two active parents. After the study circle, the following year's SIP was developed from the concerns and ideas that the study circle agreed upon. Several members of the study circle are now active members of the SIP committee.