Despite the wide-ranging benefits of family engagement, families are often overlooked by district and school leaders when it comes to identifying solutions that can meaningfully support student success. A lack of awareness of the impact of family engagement is a key contributing factor yet a growing research base shows such involvement can promote equitable educational outcomes for students, support teacher retention efforts and address chronic absenteeism.
And, in addition to these specific benefits, engaging families has the potential to amplify the impact of existing efforts, creating aligned, cohesive systems of support. When families are meaningfully invited and included, teachers have another highly invested partner to collaborate with and students can develop and practice key skills inside and outside of the classroom.
How can you help your school move from a fragmented approach to supporting student success to a more cohesive strategy that includes family engagement? Here are three key recommendations:
1. Provide professional learning opportunities focused on evidence-based engagement strategies that improve student outcomes.
School leaders and educators need the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively engage families. With limited to no training on family engagement, schools can design a series of professional learning opportunities that focus on high-impact engagement strategies, covering key areas such as cultural competence, accessible two-way communication; and building trusting relationships.
Evidence-based strategies, like conducting home visits, may fall outside the comfort zone of administration and teachers, highlighting the importance of professional learning that addresses mindset and cultural shifts. Dedicating space for reflection and discussion can help uncover the root causes of negative mindsets, provide an opportunity for collective problem-solving, and support the development of a strength-based approach that recognizes families’ many assets.
Including evidence-based strategies as a component of professional learning is also critical, ensuring that it is not treated as a separate or secondary topic. For example, curriculum-related professional learning can naturally include ways to help families reinforce classroom learning at home. Importantly, make family engagement a continuous learning focus by providing regular updates, refresher courses and opportunities for educators to practice and refine their skills.
2. Identify and adopt effective strategies that address your district’s or school’s strategic objectives.
To meaningfully affect student learning outcomes it is critical to identify solutions that have a robust evidence base and demonstrated impact on student outcomes. This process should start with an examination of your school community’s current practices and unique strategic goals and needs. Collect data on current family engagement practices and identify gaps or areas for improvement.
More from DA: What is taking up superintendents’ time? We have answers
Reviewing best practices and programs with evidence is also key to identifying and adopting an effective family engagement strategy. Study research and case studies on successful strategies implemented in similar districts or schools. Family engagement specialists or professional organizations can also support your efforts to identify the right solution for your school community. Organizations and networks such as the National Association for Family, School and Community Engagement, and the National PTA can provide access to resources and best practices.
3. Prioritize time for family engagement.
Allocate dedicated time and resources to family engagement efforts, integrating them into the school’s daily operations and long-term planning. Set aside specific times within teachers’ and staff schedules for family engagement activities, such as communication around student learning, parent-teacher conferences and family nights.
Additionally, teams responsible for improving attendance should think about leveraging best practices in engagement to support their efforts. Family- and community-facing staff and partner organizations can also be leveraged to advance schools’ efforts to prioritize and embed evidence-based engagement into schools’ daily routines.
Embedding family engagement more broadly into the school culture is also essential. Include engagement as a key component of the school’s mission and goals. Ensure that it is recognized and valued as an essential part of the school culture. By explicitly welcoming and inviting families in as partners and clearly articulating the value of family engagement in learning, families can become more integrated into school success efforts.
Conclusion
When schools are equipped to meaningfully engage families, the overall support system for students is strengthened. Student learning outcomes improve by providing support at home and in the classroom. Stronger relationships develop between teachers and parents, creating a more collaborative and supportive learning environment.
Schools can streamline their efforts by making existing solutions and interventions more cohesive and teachers can build their professional capacity, enhancing their skills and job satisfaction. Families are eager to partner; invite them in as valuable collaborators and realize their tremendous potential.
