PARTNERSHIPS THEN and NOW Critical Connections: Develop Programs of School, Family, and Community Partnerships for Student Success Connect for Success Institute Virginia Department of Education Virginia Commonwealth University September 19, 2016 Joyce L. Epstein, Ph.D., Director Center on School, Family, and Community Partnerships February 10, 2016 Working Together for Student Success © 2016

How Can Educators and Parents Strengthen and Sustain Healthy Schools for Healthy and Successful Students? What do we mean by a HEALTHY SCHOOL? 1.We mean a safe and nurturing PLACE. A welcoming school environment for ALL A Partnership School A “family-like” school and “school-like” families An EXCELLENT school that students, teachers, parents, and others WANT to attend and support Other ideas...?

What do we mean by a Healthy School for Successful Students? 2. We mean a place that produces positive RESULTS and helps students develop to their full potential. Academic Results Curricular and Other Achievement S Commitment to Role of Student High Graduation/Low Dropout Rates Promotion to Each New Grade Level College or Career and Transition Plans Physical Health Good Nutrition, Exercise Prevention of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drug Use/Abuse Good Attendance Emotional Growth Positive Attitudes about School Positive Behavior Good Relationships with Peers, Friends, Family, Teachers Successful Transitions OTHER RESULTS FOR STUDENTS?

Not only THAT partnerships contribute to good schools and successful students. But also WHAT is needed in an excellent partnership program. and… HOW to organize and sustain high-quality and effective programs of family and community involvement. What is important to know about school, family, and community partnerships? We must think in new ways about leadership for partnerships at all policy levels.

Everyone wants EXCELLENT and SUCCESSFUL SCHOOLS and STUDENTS. How will we reach these goals?

THEN Parent involvement NOW School, family, and community partnerships DEFINITION

THEN Up to parents Organized by one person or just a few NOW Part of school and classroom organization Organized by Action Team for Partnerships RESPONSIBILITY

Identify an Action Team for Partnerships (ATP) Delmae Elementary School, SC Park Middle School, WA Wolcott Technical H.S., CT

Action Team Structure AT LEAST teachers (include a teacher of students with special needs) 2-3 parents/family members (include a parent of a student with special needs) Principal Others (e.g., nurse, counselor, transition specialist, school psychologist, secretary, parent liaison, community partners, rep. from PTA or PTO) 1-2 students at high school level

What does an Action Team for Partnerships do? ATP MEMBERS work together to... Review school goals. Select 2 academic goals; 1 non-academic goal; and 1 goal for a welcoming school climate. Write a One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships to involve families and the community in ways that contribute to the selected goals for student learning and development. Implement and evaluate the quality of the activities – outreach to families, responses, and results. Continually improve partnership plans, program, and practices.

Action Team for Partnerships Structure School Improvement Team or School Council ACTION TEAM for PARTNERSHIPS Improve Reading PRACTICES from SIX TYPES to meet this goal Create a Climate for Partnerships PRACTICES from SIX TYPES to meet this goal Improve Student Behavior PRACTICES from SIX TYPES to meet this goal Improve Math PRACTICES from SIX TYPES to meet this goal Academic goal Non-Academic goalPartnership goal EXAMPLE

THEN Incidental or accidental Off to the side NOW Framework of 6 types of involvement Goal-oriented Part of comprehensive school Improvement PROGRAM DESIGN

Use the Framework of Six Types of Involvement

Keys to School, Family, and Community Partnerships EPSTEIN’s FRAMEWORK OF SIX TYPES OF INVOLVEMENT PARENTING Understand child development. Educators know families. COMMUNICATING Two-way. On school programs and children’s progress. VOLUNTEERING At school, in class, at home, and as audiences. LEARNING AT HOME Connections on homework, course choices, other talents. DECISION MAKING All major groups represented on school committees. COLLABORATING WITH COMMUNITY Resources and volunteers from many groups, agencies. Type 1 Type 2 Type 6 Type 5 Type 4 Type 3

NNPS FRAMEWORK Type 1 - PARENTING Type 2 - COMMUNICATING Type 3 - VOLUNTEERING Type 4 - LEARNING AT HOME Type 5 - DECISION MAKING Type 6 - COLLABORATING WITH THE COMMUNITY

Solve Challenges to Involve ALL Families

CHALLENGES NOW “Realities” Solutions sought Solutions found Solutions shared Strengths model and prevention programs THEN “Barriers” Diverse family structures, racial, economic, cultural, & linguistic backgrounds Families of students with special needs Mobile, migratory, or homeless families. Deficit model and treatment programs

THEN PreK-K Separate groups of parents Isolated activities NOW All grades, PreK-12 All groups – e.g., PTA or PTO, Special Ed., Families in the Military, After-School, others Sense of community IMPLEMENTATION

THEN School by school decisions NOW Multi-level leaders: School, District, State, and Organizations, Meet requirements for official policies on family involvement “Nested” networks

DISTRICT Leaders for Partnerships Have TWO Major Responsibilities Conduct leadership-level activities on family and community engagement FACILITATE school-based Action Teams for Partnerships (ATPs) PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM GOALS District Leaders for Partnerships...

Reach Results for Student Success

THEN Parent outcomes Public relations Focus on a few parent leaders NOW Student achievement and success in school Link practices to results for all students, parents, teachers, and community RESULTS

Write an Annual Action Plan for Partnerships Linked to Goals for Student Success

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL EXAMPLES for a One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships to IMPROVE READING ACHIEVEMENT TYPE 1 Workshops for parents on various ways to read aloud with young children TYPE 2 Parent-teacher-student conferences on reading goals and reading progress TYPE 3 Reading-partner volunteers, guest readers of favorite stories, and other organized, ongoing read-with-me activities TYPE 4 PTA/PTO support for a family room or parent center to provide information on children’s reading TYPE 5 Donations from business partners of books for classrooms, for the school library, and for children to take home TYPE 6 …AND MANY OTHER IDEAS FOR EACH TYPE OF INVOLVEMENT READING GOAL Family Reading Night to demonstrate reading strategies for parents and activities to conduct with students at home

MIDDLE SCHOOL EXAMPLES for a One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships to IMPROVE ATTENDANCE TYPE 1 “Attendance Summit” for parents on the importance of student attendance. Speakers may include school administrators, counselors, legal experts, teachers, health service providers, students, and family members TYPE 2 Recognition postcards for good or improved attendance TYPE 3 Family volunteers as attendance monitors TYPE 4 Interactive homework for students and family partners to create a poster about why good attendance is important PTA/PTO communications, translated as needed, for all families on requirements for student attendance and on-time arrival, and steps to take when students return to school after illness TYPE 5 Agreement with local businesses to post signs that students are welcome only during nonschool hours TYPE 6 …AND MANY OTHER IDEAS FOR EACH TYPE OF INVOLVEMENT ATTENDANCE GOAL

HIGH SCHOOL EXAMPLES for a One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships to IMPROVE POSTSECONDARY PLANNING TYPE 1 Workshops for parents and students on course credits and requirements for high school graduation, college financial aid, college entry tests, and career planning TYPE 2 Series of videos for families to learn about high school graduation requirements and postsecondary planning TYPE 3 Field trips for students and parents to local colleges and universities TYPE 4 Interactive homework that requires students to discuss their academic goals and career plans with a family partner and to outline strategies for reaching these goals A postsecondary planning committee of parents, teachers, and students to implement a series of activities on college awareness and career options from 9 th to 12 th grade TYPE 5 “College and Careers” club linking students and families with alumni from the school to increase knowledge and actions on postsecondary paths and opportunities TYPE 6 …AND MANY OTHER IDEAS FOR EACH TYPE OF INVOLVEMENT COLLEGE & CAREER GOAL

EXAMPLES—Tailor to All Grades for a One-Year Action Plan to IMPROVE STUDENT HEALTH TYPE 1 Workshops and parent support groups to discuss questions and best practices for student health, nutrition, and safety TYPE 2 Articles for parents in the school newsletter or on the school website by students and teachers on health tips and topics TYPE 3 Volunteers to offer dance, aerobics, Tae Kwon Do, karate, yoga, walk-a-thons, team sports, and other activities before school, at lunch, after school, and/or on weekends TYPE 4 Interactive homework assignments for students to discuss health topics with a family partner (e.g., linked to science units on bodily systems, disease prevention, physical education, and other topics PTA- or PTO- sponsored activities and information for health and safety TYPE 5 Community Fair with health professionals from organizations and agencies to help families and students learn about health services in the community, conduct health screenings, address questions TYPE 6 …AND MANY OTHER IDEAS FOR EACH TYPE OF INVOLVEMENT See NNPS books, Promising Partnership Practices and SAMPLERS.

Evaluate Results

THEN Minimal or Optional For “compliance” Focus on parents NOW Essential Evaluate quality, results, and progress of programs and practices Focus on student achievement and success in school EVALUATION

THEN Success stories shared locally, if at all NOW Success stories shared nationally and internationally to benefit all “Networking” to improve programs NETWORKING

THEN Labels for HAVE and HAVE NOTs, DO and DO NOTs “Blame game” Finger-pointing NOW ACTION to involve all families Title I guidelines to communicate in languages parents understand EQUITY ISSUES

BUDGETS for PARTNERSHIPS THEN $$ Not well allocated Fragmented spending NOW $$ For goal-linked activities in schools’ annual plans to engage all families Capacity building and program development

PAIR-SHARE ACTIVITY Tell your “elbow” partner: WHICH CHANGE from THEN to NOW is most important for improving... a school’s program of family and community engagement? EQUITY— Engage ALL Families All Grade Levels Framework- 6 Types ACTION TEAM PRINCIPAL LEADERSHIP LINK to SCH GOALS EVALUATION Networking Budgeting RESULTS for STUDENTS Definition DISTRICT LEADERSHIP ANNUAL ACTION PLAN

Which components are needed in all SCHOOL programs of partnership ? Establish an Action Team for Partnerships (ATP). Write an Action Plan for Partnerships each year linked to school improvement goals. Use the Framework of Six Types of Involvement so that parents become involved in varied ways. Allocate a budget for planned activities.  Allocate time for monthly meetings of the ATP.  Evaluate and improve the partnership program each year. LET’S REVIEW District and organization leaders for partnerships guide schools in this work.

Research-based tools, training, publications, and on-going studies. On-going technical assistance from NNPS Facilitators by phone, , monthly e-briefs, website, newsletters. Coordinated planning and evaluation tools to meet ESSA and Title I requirements for family involvement. Networking opportunities to share best practices with hundreds of schools, districts, states, and organizations across the country. Help is available from NNPS at Johns Hopkins University A network can help!

NNPS PUBLICATIONS 3 rd Edition 2009 From Corwin Press 2009 From Corwin Press From Eye on Education 2012 TEXT, SECOND EDITION Westview Press-2011 From Eye on Education 2 nd Edition, 2015

FROM NNPS 2016 FROM NNPS 2013 MORE NNPS PUBLICATIONS FROM NNPS TIPS SAMPLERS Research and Involvement Activities READING, MATH SCIENCE, WRITING ARTS, HEALTH, ATTENDANCE, BEHAVIOR, HOMEWORK, TRANSITIONS, FATHERS COLLEGE and CAREERS, PRESCHOOLS, MIDDLE SCHOOLS, HIGH SCHOOLS Interactive Homework Elem Math K-5 Middle Grades Language Arts 6-8 Science 6-8 See TIPS RESOURCES on the NNPS website

Q & A? What questions do you have about using research-based approaches to strengthen programs of school, family, and community partnerships?

For more information and to join NNPS visit Dr. Joyce Epstein, Director Center on School, Family, and Community Partnerships Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland © Epstein, J. L. (2016). Baltimore, MD: National Network of Partnership Schools (NNPS) at Johns Hopkins University.