Family-School-Community Partnering for Student

Success

February 26, 2015

FrameworkMeet the ChallengesReach Results for Students

Action TeamAction PlanEvaluation

Comprehensive, Sustainable Structure Components

A Research Base

Family-School-Community Partnerships

OVERLAPPING SPHERES OF INFLUENCE OF FAMILY, SCHOOL, AND COMMUNITY ON

CHILDREN’S LEARNING

Force BExperience,Philosophy,Practices of Family

Force CExperience,Philosophy,Practices of School

Force DExperience,Philosophy,Practices of Community

Force ATime/Age/Grade Level

Theoretical Model

Implementation Research

Families vary in how much they are presently involved.

Students need multiple sources of support to succeed in school and in their communities.

Teachers and administrators may be initially hesitant to increasing family involvement.

Teachers, administrators, and external supports need inservice, preservice, and advanced education on partnerships.

Schools must reach out in order to involve all families.

Epstein, J. L. et al. (2009). School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Your Handbook for Action (Third Edition). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Partnership Structure Development

Structures and practices of partnership make a difference.

Subject-specific practices assist students’ learning.

Teachers who use practices of partnership are more likely to report that all families can help their children.

Structures will be most useful to schools and to families if they are customized, comprehensive, and continually improved to help meet important goals for students.

Epstein, J. L. et al. (2009). School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Your Handbook for Action (Third Edition). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

7

Academic PressClear contentHigh expectationsAccountability for performance

Social SupportStrong social ties with adults in and out of school

Results when Both are PresentFour times yearly growth in mathThree times yearly growth in English

Link to Achievement

Lee, V.E. et al. (1999). Social support, academic press, and student achievement: A view from the middle grades in Chicago .

National Standards for Family-School Partnerships

Families are active participants in the life of the school, and feel welcomed, valued, and connected to each other, to school staff,

and to what students are learning and doing in class.

Create a welcome climate.

Build a respectful, inclusive school community.

Create opportunities for families, staff, and administrators to develop personal relationships.

Welcoming All Families into the School Community

PTA (2009). PTA National Standards for Family-School Partnerships: An Implementation Guide.

Meet the Challenge

Families and school staff engage in regular, two-way, meaningful communication about student learning.

Share information between school and families.

Communication should be two-way and on-going.

Provide information in a language and format that is easy for families to understand and access.

Communicating Effectively

PTA (2009). PTA National Standards for Family-School Partnerships: An Implementation Guide.

Meet the Challenge

Families and school staff continuously collaborate to support students’ learning and healthy development both at home and at

school, and have regular opportunities to strengthen their knowledge and skills to do so effectively.

Share information about student progress.

Support learning by engaging families.

Develop families’ capacity to strengthen learning at home, including through interactive homework assignments.

Supporting Student Success

PTA (2009). PTA National Standards for Family-School Partnerships: An Implementation Guide.

Meet the Challenge

Families are empowered to be advocates for their own and other children, to ensure that students are treated fairly and have access

to learning opportunities that will support their success.

Understand how the school system works.

Empower families to support their own and other children’s success in school.

Ensure that families are aware that federal and state laws mandate that schools involve and inform families.

Speaking up for Every Child

PTA (2009). PTA National Standards for Family-School Partnerships: An Implementation Guide.

Meet the Challenge

Families and school staff are equal partners in decisions that affect children and families and together inform, influence, and create

policies, practices, and programs.

Strengthen the families’ voice in shared decision-making.

Build families social and political connections.

Include family leaders from all racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and other groups in the school.

Sharing Power

PTA (2009). PTA National Standards for Family-School Partnerships: An Implementation Guide.

Meet the Challenge

Families and school staff collaborate with community members to connect students, families, and staff to expanded learning opportunities, community services, and civic participation.

Connect the school with community resources.

Have the school give back to the community.

Establish ways for the school to give back to the community.

Collaborating with the Community

PTA (2009). PTA National Standards for Family-School Partnerships: An Implementation Guide.

Meet the Challenge

15

Family Partnership Resources

Family/Parent Resources: http://www.cde.state.co.us/resourcesforparents

Training Resources: http://www.cde.state.co.us/uip/familyengagement

SACPIE: http://www.cde.state.co.us/sacpie

Colorado Academic Standards Guides: http://www.cde.state.co.us/standardsandinstruction/guidestok5standards

Family Partnering Brochure: http://www.cde.state.co.us/sacpie/sacpiebrochure91014

17

How can you help build capacity in school and parent leaders to

implement the National Standards for Family-School Partnerships?

Discussion Question

18

Darcy Hutchins, Ph.D.hutchins_d@cde.state.co.us

(w) 303-866-5921(c) 303-562-8175

SACPIEhttp://www.cde.state.co.us/SACPIE/

Thank You!