Volunteering Rules

School Administrator, Sept, 1996

How many hours should parents be expected to volunteer at their child's school?

At least 20 hours a year, says Paul Vance, superintendent of the Montgomery County, Md., system, one of the nation's largest with 120,000 students. At a school board meeting, the superintendent called on the schools to develop positive reinforcement systems to encourage parental involvement in classrooms.

While the district cannot legally require volunteerism, the superintendent plans to select five schools to craft model parent involvement programs.