How to Engage Parents for Support During Testing Season

Now that the new year is underway, it’s time to focus on the last big task of the school year—testing. In Florida, where my children attended school, testing “season” began with the writing assessment in February and concluded in May when students took makeup exams. It’s a physically and mentally exhausting process for schools, students, and parents. In contrast to the multimonth testing schedules of today, testing was previously devoted to one day—it was one indicator of yearly progress and allowed teachers to determine what resources they could provide to reach grade-level markers. Since the No Child Left Behind Act, testing has become pivotal in deciding academic gains for promotion and retention metrics for students.

The responsibility of testing falls on students, school staff, and administration. However, it is important to include parents who can bolster student confidence and increase performance. This can also alleviate stress for students and schools. Here are four ways that schools can ask parents for help during testing season.

Healthy Food Supports Success

The teachers at my children’s school suggested a healthy, nutritious breakfast each morning during the testing season. According to Brown Health Medical Group Primary Care, starting the day with a healthy breakfast provides students with essential energy and nutrition that helps them focus during the morning activities when most testing occurs. It can also increase a student’s learning ability while diminishing negative behaviors associated with hunger. 

I‘m not a morning person and rarely prepared breakfast during the school year. However, during testing season, I ensured that my children received a full breakfast before heading off to school. This process had a bonus that we all enjoyed—we previewed the day and discussed any apprehensions they had. Additionally, I had the opportunity to boost their confidence by sharing words of encouragement and even putting a smile on their faces before the long day ahead. 

Many teachers can ask students to bring daily snacks as a reward for completing the test. Parents can easily help with this task. Teachers can ask parents to send healthy snacks for the classroom, such as popcorn, bananas, mandarin oranges, or other foods that students and teachers will enjoy. 

Communicate to Create Partnership

Communication is the best way to share information, yet teachers (and parents) have limited time for daily phone calls or correspondence. During the testing season, it’s even more vital to share challenges that students may face, address their concerns, help redirect them, and increase their performance. 

One way to foster a partnership with parents is to create a shared written log or email chain to quickly communicate student successes or challenges. A simple smiley face or emojis with a few added words can relay information efficiently. Emojis work for simple communications, such as a smiley face or thumbs-up for a “Great Day” or a laughing face for a “Your child said the funniest thing!” 

However, for some challenging behaviors, more in-depth, one-on-one conversations may need to occur. These conversations should be calm and inviting but to the point, encouraging dialogue and focusing on a solution. As a teacher and parent, I have found that when concentrating on solutions, we often find common ground and positive outcomes with respect and camaraderie, boosting student self-confidence and academic success.

Ask for Parent Feedback

As teachers, we go into this season knowing our goal is to ensure that students feel confident and hope they can perform at their best. Yet, it can be daunting when there are multiple tests, days, and even months. A strong teacher/parent partnership can be beneficial throughout this process.

As a mother, I wanted to know how the assessments went when my children came home. Of course, they didn’t have their scores, but I wanted to know how they felt about them. Often, they would say, “Whew! It’s over” or “I’m so tired, and there’s another test tomorrow.” This conversation allowed me to gauge how they handled the rigorous testing strain. It also allowed me to share with the teacher any signs of stress, anxiety, or exhaustion. 

The benefit of parents sharing their observations with teachers is that educators can make adjustments (to the best of their ability) to help students stay positive and energetic throughout the day. For example, it’s helpful for the teacher to know that a student has not slept well the night before the test. Teachers can provide encouragement and may have the flexibility to place the student in another testing time slot if one is available or find another alternative for the student to ensure that they can perform at their best. This information is critical for student success and an invaluable teacher resource.

Celebrate Milestones

It’s essential to give students something to look forward to. After the long weeks of testing, it’s time to celebrate. Teachers and parents can plan a classroom party, as permitted by the school, to celebrate the students’ perseverance and fortitude. Parents can prepare and plan exciting, age-appropriate activities. Celebrations are appropriate (and fun) for K–8 students as well as school students. 

When my children were in high school, we often had pizza or cupcake parties to celebrate classroom milestones. They were thrilled to have a short reprieve from academics and enjoyed laughing and chatting with their classmates and teachers. It also allowed the teachers to see their students in a relaxed environment. 

As schools seek opportunities to engage parents, testing season may be a natural way to partner with them. This time of year is exhausting, with months of nonstop preparation, assessments, and stress that can benefit from additional parental support. Parent partners can support teachers and students, boost parent participation, and be effective allies who understand their child’s needs.