The overview
According to a Go Beyond Grades news release, new research shows that more than 9 in 10 Tarrant County parents believe their child is on grade level, but STAAR reports it is closer to only 50%. Go Beyond Grades is designed to help close that perception gap.
The campaign, which is designed to help parents dig deeper into their child’s academic performance, encourages parents to:
- Ask if their child is on grade level in reading and math
- Be in the know about their child’s learning
- Connect to summer programs and other resources available in Tarrant County
“Many parents do not know that they need to advocate for their children because they believe their child’s report card tells the complete story of their child’s academic performance, " Leah M. King, president and CEO of United Way of Tarrant County, said. “The Go Beyond Grades initiative is unprecedented in Tarrant County as it gives parents specific tools and resources needed to dig deeper.”
"While this is an all-hands-on-deck moment in public education, most parents are not aware they need to be in the boat," Cindi Williams, co-founder of Learning Heroes, said. "Parents are problem solvers, but we can't expect them to solve a problem they don't know exists. Now is the time to partner with our teachers to find out how we can use the summer months to address missed instruction."
What you need to know
As part of the Go Beyond Grades awareness campaign to highlight the importance of summer learning, the news release states that digital ads along with 50 billboard ads have been created to encourage people to visit GoBeyondGrades.org/Tarrant to find tips, tools and resources.
The news release states that the campaign is partnering with Parent Pass to share resources and tools with 8,600 families in Tarrant County using their free app.
Quote of note
“The first-of-its-kind Parent Pass app was developed by local families, for local families,” Sadie Funk, national director of Best Place for Kids, said. “[It can] connect every parent in Tarrant County with the great educational opportunities, events and community resources available to help their children thrive.”
