A Handbook for Parents of High School Students

The objective of this book is to empower parents and guardians to better support the needs of their children in schools. Specifically, this book will help parents and guardians of low-income children and children of color use test data to advocate for their children in any school setting. Rigorous instruction and courses are the cornerstone of all student success. Historically, students’ access to rigorous, high-quality classes has been based on social factors, such as race, income, and the social standing of their parents. Whether intentional or not, schools frequently reproduce social strata that exist in society in the way they assign opportunities for children. With a new call to prepare all students to work in the 21st century, public schools should be changing their unstated missions from maintaining the status quo to providing greater access to academic opportunities. This transition is especially difficult for privileged groups that have historically enjoyed most of the opportunities schools have to offer.