One of the team developing Maori education standards says parents need to ask how they will improve things for their children.
Associate Education Minister Pita Sharples is asking teachers, principals and whanau to contribute to new draft national standards for Maori-medium education programmes, which include kura kaupapa and whare kura.
Tony Trinick from Auckland University's school of education, who helped develop the mathematics standard, says there is no evidence from overseas experience that standards improve educational outcomes.
He says parents need to get involved in the consultation process.
"How do they know the implementation of this initiative is actually making a difference to their child," he told Waatea News.
"How do they know the things they value at school are still being considered, that there's not going to be a narrowing of the curriculum just to mathematics and literacy. I'd be asking how is this actually going to make a difference for my child."
Maori parents told to stand as trustees
School Trustees Association president Lorraine Kerr wants more Maori parents to stand for school boards in this year's triennial elections.
She says kura kaupapa means there are more Maori trustees than ever before, but Maori parents with children in mainstream schools are often too shy to stand, Waatea News reports.
But she says by standing, they can become decision-makers.
