Reframing Family and Community Engagement

Title I Technical Assistance SessionOctober 6, 2011

Session Overview

Review Title I District and School Parent/Guardian Involvement Rights, Policies and Compacts

Look at how parent involvement has changed over the years

Introduce Family, School, and Community Partnership Fundamentals Document

Share Resources

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Title I District and School Parent/Guardian Involvement Rights, Policies and Compacts

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Families play a powerful role in their children’s education!

Overall Findings from 40 Years of Research

When families are involved at home and at school,

children do better in school…

…schools do better educating children.

AND

Why Families Get Involved

• Understand that they should be involved

• Feel capable of making a contribution

• Feel invited by the school and their children

(Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler)

Family members are more likely to become involved when they:

Creation and Evolution of the Fundamentals

• Parent and Community Education and Involvement Advisory Council (PCEI)

• Research and Review of Other State Practices and Policies

• National PTA Family-School Partnership Standards• Presentation to BESE of Massachusetts Family

and Community Engagement Standards (June, 2009)

Massachusetts Family, School and Community Partnership Fundamentals

• Welcoming All Stakeholders• Communicating Effectively• Supporting the Success of Children and Youth• Advocating for Each Child and Youth• Sharing Power and Responsibility• Partnering with the Community

Expansion of the Fundamentals

• What do these “standards” look like in real life?• Creation of rubrics or indicators• Implementation and functioning of these

indicators developmental in nature• Renaming “standards” as “fundamentals”• Review by other BESE Advisory Councils• Presentation of Fundamentals to BESE

(September, 2011)

Taking a Closer Look at the Fundamentals

• Fundamental 1, Indicator B: Developing Personal Relationships– Level 1: School offers families opportunities to visit– Level 2: Parents volunteer to welcome others– Level 3: Family mentors help other families

• Fundamental 3, Indicator A: Linking Student Work to Learning Standards– Level 1: Displaying student work– Level 2: Explaining to families about learning standards

and proficient student work– Level 3: Aligning all events and resources to standards

Why Are Fundamentals Needed?

• Provide a framework for positive effective family and community engagement

• Offer guidance for families, schools and community to examine current strategies

• Explore new possibilities and expansion of practice

• Correlate with other family and community engagement initiatives

Key Features of the Fundamentals

• Focus on student learning outcomes • Provide a welcoming space for families• Outreach to all families• Share information with families in multiple

ways and in multiple languages• Survey families and students• Offer multiple opportunities for engagement

Important Aspects of the Fundamentals

• Families share responsibility to support their children’s education.– Parenting– Home-School Relationships– Responsibility for Learning Outcomes

• Schools connect families to community resources.

• Principals lead in creating a welcoming environment for all families and community members.

Fundamentals and Title I Parent Involvement Requirements

• Involving parents/guardians cornerstone of Title I of current ESEA

• Information to parents in languages they understand

• Build parental capacity for involvement• Home – School compacts• Parental input to Title I Parent Involvement

Policy

Resources www.pplace.org

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http://www.pplace.org/FCE_fundamentals.php

Resources

www.doe.mass.edu/titlei/parents.html

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Questions?School Improvement Grant ProgramsEmail: titlei@doe.mass.eduPhone: 781-338-6230Website: http://www.doe.mass.edu/titlei/

Margaret C. O'Hare | PIRC DirectorMassachusetts Parent Information & Resource Center Email: mcohare@fcsn.orgPhone: 617-399-8344Website: www.pplace.orgA project of the Federation for Children with Special NeedsInforming, Educating, Empowering Parents