PARTNERSHIPS THEN and NOW New Directions for Programs of Family and Community Engagement for Student Success AWARENESS SESSION Presenter: ________________________ Location: _______________________ Date: _____________ Working Together for Student Success From Epstein, J. L., et al. (2019). School, family, and community partnerships: Your handbook for action, 4th edition and CD. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

How Can Educators and Parents STRENGTHEN and SUSTAIN HEALTHY SCHOOLS? What do we mean by a HEALTHY SCHOOL? 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? 2. We mean a place that produces positive RESULTS and helps students develop to their full potential. Academic Results Intellectual Development Curricular and Other Achievements High Graduation / Low Dropout Rates College or Career Plans and Actions Physical Health Good Nutrition, Exercise Prevention of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drug Abuse and Risky Behaviors Good Attendance Emotional Growth Positive Attitudes About School Self Concept, Behavior Good Relationships with Peers, Friends, Family, Teachers Appreciation of Others OTHER RESULTS FOR STUDENTS?

EXCELLENT and SUCCESSFUL Everyone wants EXCELLENT and SUCCESSFUL SCHOOLS and STUDENTS. How will we reach these goals? Excellent Schools Strong Families Healthy Communities

What is important to know about school, family, and community partnerships? 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. We must think in new ways about leadership for partnerships at the district and school levels.

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

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

Action Team for Partnerships (ATP) 2–3 teachers 2–3 parents/family members Principal Others (PTA or PTO representative, nurse, counselor, parent liaison, community partners) 1–2 students at the high school level

What does an Action Team for Partnerships do? ATP MEMBERS work together to . . . Review school goals: Select 2 academic goals, 1 behavioral goal, and 1 goal for a welcoming school climate. Write a One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships with engagement activities 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.

Structure of an Action Team for Partnerships School Improvement Team Improve Reading PRACTICES from 6 TYPES to meet this goal Improve Math PRACTICES from 6 TYPES to meet this goal Improve Student Attendance PRACTICES from 6 TYPES to meet this goal Improve the Climate for Partnerships PRACTICES from 6 TYPES to meet this goal Academic goal Academic goal Nonacademic goal Partnership goal

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

Framework of 6 Types of Involvement

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

Solve Challenges to Engage ALL Families

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

Separate groups of parents Title I, PTA or PTO, others IMPLEMENTATION THEN PreK–K Separate groups of parents Isolated activities NOW All grades, PreK–12 All groups in an integrated program, Special Education, Title I, PTA or PTO, others Sense of community

state, and federal levels, as well as from independent organizations IMPLEMENTATION NOW Leaders at school, district, state, and federal levels, as well as from independent organizations Meet requirements for official policies on family involvement “Nested” networks THEN School-by- school decisions

District Program of Partnerships A District Leader for Partnerships conducts. . . DISTRICT-LEVEL ACTIVITIES PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM GOALS DIRECT FACILITATION at SCHOOLS May be a district or organization leader.

Reach Results Welcoming School Parents as Partners Results for Students

Focus on a few parent leaders NOW RESULTS 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

Annual, Written Action Plans Linked to Goals for Student Success for Partnerships Linked to Goals for Student Success

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

Evaluate Results

Focus on student achievement and success in school EVALUATION 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

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

EQUITY ISSUES THEN NOW Labels for ACTION to HAVEs and HAVE NOTs “Blame game” Finger-pointing NOW ACTION to involve all families Communicate in languages parents understand

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

EQUITY—Engage ALL Families SUMMARY In this session we discussed many changes from the “old way” to a “new way” of organizing more effective programs of family and community engagement. Definition All Grade Levels Framework—6 Types LINK to SCHOOL GOALS PRINCIPAL LEADERSHIP ACTION TEAM ANNUAL ACTION PLAN RESULTS for STUDENTS EQUITY—Engage ALL Families EVALUATION Budgeting Networking DISTRICT LEADERSHIP

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

Which components are needed in all SCHOOL programs of partnership? LET’S REVIEW 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 6 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. District and organization leaders for partnerships guide schools in this work.

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

on developing effective programs of family and community engagement, Presenter’s Contact Information For more information on developing effective programs of family and community engagement, visit the National Network of Partnership Schools (NNPS). www.partnershipschools.org