Academic Parent Teacher Teams (APTT) Transforming Family and School Partnerships Maria C. Paredes – March 2016

Why is family engagement important to school improvement and student achievement? Research conducted in the last two decades asserts that students with highly engaged families: Attend school regularly Have stronger social skills Earn higher grades Graduate from high school Go on to college or other postsecondary program

What is APTT? Academic Parent Teacher Teams is a family engagement framework that supports family and school partnerships to drive student learning and achievement.

What is the purpose of APTT implementation? 1.Accelerate student learning 2.Strengthen the capacity of teachers, school leaders and staff to engage families in supporting student learning. 3.Develop a systematic approach to family and school partnerships. 4.Foster strong, collaborative relationships based on trust. 5.Integrate teaching, learning and family engagement.

How does APTT work? The APTT framework brings families and teachers together in two ways: 1.Individual sessions: The teacher, the student, and the student’s family meet for about 30 minutes each year to share and discuss student progress and to create an individualized student growth plan. 2.Team meetings: The teacher and all the parents in the class meet together, as a team, three times each year to: Discuss grade level learning goals Share student data that is actionable Learn activities to practice at home Set improvement goals Foster a collaborative and supportive team environment.

Is APTT effective? Studies shows that APTT improves: 1.Student learning 2.Parent/family and teacher communication and collaboration 3.Teacher capacity to engage families in student learning 4.Family capacity to support student learning