Solid Foundation:
ADI’s Family-School-Community
Assessment Program Options

NH State PIRC utilizes the School-Community Index (SCI) tool created by Academic Development Institute (ADI) under their Solid Foundation Program. The SCI is a 100-page report, based on a comprehensive survey of parents and teachers and a needs assessment completed by administration, that provides data on over 30 key areas including: parent involvement, studying and homework, reading, school-home communication, school climate, and character development.

NH State PIRC uses this data-driven model to help schools formulate targeted short- and long-term improvement plans for:

 •  Strengthening family-school connections
 •  Engaging parents in children’s learning, and
 •  Improving student academic & social learning

Schools have 3 options for utilizing the SCI and receiving support from PIRC. All three options include ADI’s Resource Manual & Tool Kit (see Table of Contents (PDF)) absolutely free, which is filled with helpful information, forms, workshops, and more.

Path 1: Web-Based Process

For this path, a school team collectively completes a single SCI survey and develops a 2-year action plan based on the findings. Cost: free.

Path 2: School-Level Support

The school engages parents, teachers (and high school students) in completing the SCI. The school receives copies of the report, complete with charts and graphs. NH State PIRC then offers 2 years of technical assistance and training as schools implement, evaluate and revise their action plans.
Cost: free to a limited number of schools.

Path 3: School Community Index Only

Same as Option 2, but only with startup technical assistance as needed.
Cost: $1,200 (plus up to $2 per student for high schools)

download Download the 1-page SCI Information & Cost document (pdf)

For more information on School Support Options using the School Community Index and other tools, please call Karen Gerdts at (603) 848-5667 or write kgerdts@nhpirc.org.

What is a School Community Index?

The School Community Index is a 100-page report with charts and graphs providing information compiled from surveys administered to parents and teachers and a needs assessment completed by the principal. The high school version also includes a survey of students. The Index is organized into seven parts:

  1. Who Completed the Survey?
  2. Parental Involvement
  3. The Curriculum of the Home
  4. Perceptions of Parents and Teachers
  5. Needs Assessment
  6. Summary
  7. Threshold Analysis

Read more...

Amherst St School

Amherst St School Comes out of School Improvement with help of Parent-School Partnership!

Having children for only 6 ½ hours a day was great in order to let teachers put their strategies to work in the classroom, but certainly not enough time to really help children meet with success. The answer? Parental involvement! Thankfully, we connected with NH State PIRC in 2006 to assist us with this effort…and what a difference it made! Read more...

Conway Family Involvement
Hits the Road

By Mandy McDonald,
Family Support Liaison

Family involvement at Conway Elementary School in Conway, NH, is getting better each year. We have had a Family Support Liaison in our building since 2000. We began a partnership with NH State PIRC, more specifically Karen Gerdts, since the spring of 2007. We will continue this fall to work on our targeted goals of communication, study skills, homework, and literacy. Read more...

Read the School Community Journal Online

ADI's School Community Journal includes research and field reports related to the school as a community of teachers, students, parents, and staff. Parent involvement, family-school relations, site-based management, sociology of education, systems theory, the classroom community, and other topics are covered.

 

 

The New Hampshire Parent Information and Resource Center is
committed to providing schools with high-quality services and
products for assessing needs relative to parent engagement, for
planning actions, and for monitoring results. PIRC School Level Support provides a process through a program called Solid Foundation.  The process guides a school team, with the assistance of an External Partner provided by PIRC, through 10 efficient and effective steps to:

  • assess current strengths and challenges,
  • develop a 2-3 year plan,
  • and implement the plan with abundant resources.

Solid Foundation is evidence-based and designed to strengthen family-school connections, engage parents in children’s learning, and improve student academic and social learning. The process is directed by the principal and a school team (school improvement team or other school-based team that includes the principal, teacher representatives, parent representatives, and parent facilitator). With Solid Foundation the connection between parents and their children's learning is not left to chance.

PIRC's Solid Foundation Schools (click to open/close)
  • Dr. Norman Crisp Elementary, Nashua
  • Amherst Street Elementary, Nashua
  • Mt. Pleasant Elementary, Nashua
  • Ledge Street Elementary, Nashua
  • Fairgrounds Elementary, Nashua
  • Fairgrounds Middle School, Nashua
  • Mt. Pleasant Elementary School, Nashua
  • Elm Street Middle School, Nashua
  • Nashua North High School, Nashua
  • McDonough Elementary, Manchester
  • Northwest Elementary, Manchester
  • Gossler Park Elementary, Manchester
  • Parker-Varney School, Manchester
  • Southside Middle School, Manchester
  • Valley View Community School, Farmington
  • Henry Wilson Middle School, Farmington
  • 12. Conway Elementary, Conway
  • Hillsboro-Deering Elementary, Hillsboro
  • The Paul School, Wakefield, NH
  • Franklin Middle School, Franklin, NH
  • The Henry Moore School, Candia, NH
  • Nute Middle/HS, Milton, NH

 

Group LearningOther Services For Schools and Districts

NH State PIRC offers a menu of options ranging from easy and quick to comprehensive and long-term.

TITLE I—PARENT INVOLVEMENT PROVISIONS. Training and/or technical assistance for assessing and scoring the parent involvement policy, home-school compact, parent-teacher communication strategies, homework policy, etc.

NCLB NOTIFICATIONS. We will review and if needed revise School Report Card, School Choice & SES documents with parent-friendly language.

STARTING POINTS. The “Starting Points” survey provides a quick and easy way to reveal key strengths and gaps of a school’s parent involvement strategies that align with Joyce Epstein’s Model of 6 types of Parent Involvement.

FAMILY FRIENDLY ASSESSMENT. NH State PIRC will assist you and assessing school climate using the Epstein Family Friendly Assessment, which surveys key school personnel and parents and can help identify areas for improvement. Read More (Word Doc).

OUTREACH TO MINORITY AND HARD-TO-REACH FAMILIES. Consult with PIRC to develop or revamp strategies to include all families in the life of the school community.

PARENT LEADERSHIP and TRAIN-THE-TRAINER WORKSHOPS. We offer a wide variety of trainings that align with learning standards and school improvement plans. Please see other side of this brochure for more information.

HOME-SCHOOL COMMUNICATION TOOLKIT for schools, teachers, and parents. Please inquire.

Rack CardsNH State PIRC has developed a set of free educational cards that promotes parent involvement in their children's education. These 4" x 9" cards offer informational tips on both front and back and take up very little space in the 8-card display (approximately 6" x 9"  at base).

The display is great for a school’s family resource room or PTA meeting room, or other places parents congregate in the community such as physicians offices, child care centers, etc.  

Please click here for more information.

right arrow Workshops and Technical Assistance for Schools Section
right arrow Family-School-Community Partnerships Section
right arrow Title I And Parent Involvement Section
download Download PIRC's Technical Assistance and Professional Development Workshops Brochure