Collaborating with Families: Family-School-Community Partnerships Taylor County Schools

Why it is important to partner with families? There are numerous settings in which children learn Children spend an estimated 91% of their time between birth to the age of 18 outside of school (Usdan, 1990); once in school, they spend an estimated 70% of their time outside of school (Clark, 1990). Families provide the single most important influence on a child’s development, where schools provide the second most important influence. Families provide unique contributions to children’s academic, behavioral, and socioemotional outcomes. The interface of families and schools provide children, families, and educators with favorable outcomes. BULLET 1 - Learning opportunities for children exist across a number of interconnected and interdependent settings (e.g., families and schools). BULLET 4 - Across families and schools. various individuals contribute to favorable child outcomes. However, the continuity and congruence across families and schools’ efforts in addressing children’s concerns is profoundly impacted by the degree to which both parties collaborate. What both parties contribute together could not be replicated by each party working independently of the other. The relationships across these settings (e.g., families and school) create positive outcomes for children. When schools and families collaborate, they promote greater learning and adjustment for children and the foundation for a partnership. For example, when families and schools partner, families also reap the benefits (e.g., increased understanding and positive attitudes toward schools, increased contacts with educators, desire to become more involved, improved parent-child relationships, and become more involved with their child’s learning at home) as well as educators (e.g., have become more proficient in professional activities, develop more student-oriented rather than task-oriented activities, and receive higher ratings on teacher performance evaluations as rated by principals).

Theoretical Support for involving families Providing indirect support and assistance to families increases the likelihood these families can directly mediate their child’s behavior and development more efficiently than can direct services aimed toward the child (Dunst, Trivette & Deal, 1998). Family’s strengths, needs, and priorities along with the needs of their children guide the provision of local resources and services (Dunst, 1985; Rappaport, 1981). Family-centered services strengthen the family’s capacity to meet their needs and the needs of their child (Dunst, 1985; Rappaport, 1981). Families are their child’s first and best advocate.

Partnership-Oriented Perspective Families and educators are unique, co-equal partners and contributors, to a child’s learning. An extension of family-centered principles wherein educators or other support personnel contribute to the child’s learning and development. Underlying principles: No fault approach (i.e., shared ownership) Nondeficit approach (i.e., strengths-based) Facilitates empowerment Facilitates an ecological approach (i.e., emphasis on the mesosystem) (Christenson & Hirsch, 1998) BULLET 1 - Families and educators have unique expertise in the child’s development, socialization, and education; therefore, they have a shared/joint responsibility in identifying needs, problem-solving decision making (e.g., determine strategies and plans) and evaluating outcomes/goals. Working in a complimentary fashion. Opportunity to communicate and support each other. AFTER BULLET 3 - A relationship where families and educators defer to each other’s judgments and expertise as appropriate (Turnbull, Turnbull, Erwin, & Soodak, 2006). BULLET 4 - One model has been specified and validated as bringing families and schools together in a collaborative relationship and promoting a partnership orientation is CBC.

Research on child outcomes Parent-professional partnerships are predictive of: increased academic performance (higher grades and test scores) increased homework completion rates better work habits more consistent school attendance reduced drop-out rates school completion or increased graduation rates and higher postsecondary education enrollment socioemotional benefits (better social skills and reduced conduct problems decrease in negative behaviors such as alcohol and drug use and violence increase in positive attitudes (especially towards learning) and behaviors greater connections between home and school

Research Findings In the presence of effective family-school partnerships, parents have been shown to: demonstrate greater understanding of the work of schools and positive attitudes about school (Epstein, 1986); report increased contacts and communication with educators, and a desire for more involvement (Hoover-Dempsey & Sandler, 1997); improve their communication with their children, report improved parent-child relationships, and develop effective parenting skills (Becher, 1984); and become more involved in learning activities at home (Epstein, 1995).

Research Findings In the presence of effective family-school partnerships, schools have been shown to: receive higher effectiveness ratings, and implement more successful school programs. Have better reputations of schools within the community; Better performance of school programs that involve parents versus identical programs that do not include parents. (Christenson & Sheridan, 2001) *It can be hypothesized that extended learning programs show similar effects from partnering with families.

Various levels of family involvement in education programs (Epstein) TYPE 1: PARENTING (assist and educate) TYPE 2: COMMUNICATION (communicate with family about school programs and student progress. Home-school communication) TYPE 3: VOLUNTEERING or INVOLVEMENT TYPE 4: LEARNING AT HOME (connect home activities to school or curriculum activities) or CONNECTIONS AND ENGAGEMENT TYPE 5: DECISION-MAKING (PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATION) TYPE 6--COLLABORATING WITH THE COMMUNITY

Family-School Collaboration: A “Systems” Approach: Understanding Terms General Purpose General Outcome Goal OUTCOME EXPECTATION Specific Purpose Shared Outcome Goal Family/School Communication Family/School Connections Family Engagement Family/School Partnerships Family/School Collaboration Less Intense High Frequency High Intensity Low Frequency INTENSITY

Actions Engaged Partnerships… Empower both families and schools and community partners Are bi-directional Are ongoing, mutual, reciprocal Are coordinated interventions across settings Send congruent messages across settings Require shared information and resources Require open communication and dialogue Promote collaboration and joint decision making in planning for the child – “Collaborative Planning” Interactions among partners are collaborative and bi-directional. Relationships are cooperative, interdependent, and balanced. Maintenance of a positive relationship is a priority. Services provided are flexible, responsive, and proactive. Differences in perspectives are seen as strengths. There is a commitment to cultural competence. There is an emphasis on outcomes and goal attainment.

Summary Family involvement and engagement is crucial to impact a child’s academic functioning. A family-centered and family-partnership oriented philosophy can help engage parents. Family-educator partnerships can be developed through a collaborative model Each family is different and therefore professionals must be flexible and sensitive to families needs.