1. A Facilitation Guide for School, Family, and Community Connections
Beyond the Building:
A Facilitation Guide for School, Family, and Community Connections
June 8, 2006
Chris Ferguson
Southwest Educational Development Laboratory
211 E. 7th, Austin, TX 78701
 x 281 
Lacy Wood
Southwest Educational Development Laboratory
211 E. 7th, Austin, TX 78701
 x 225 

2. SEDL - Southwest Educational Development Laboratory
Overview
The Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (SEDL) is a private, nonprofit education research, development, and dissemination (RD&D) corporation based in Austin, Texas. For nearly 40 years, improving teaching and learning has been at the heart of SEDL’s work. SEDL staff have worked with professionals in schools, districts, service agencies, and states to solve significant problems facing educational systems and communities to ensure a quality education for all learners.

3. SEDL - Southwest Educational Development Laboratory
Our work . . .
Connecting Disability Research to Practice
Improving School Performance
Integrating Technology Into Learning and Teaching
Involving Family and Community in Student Learning
Strengthening Teaching and Learning in Mathematics and Science
Strengthening Teaching and Learning in Reading and Language

4. SEDL - Southwest Educational Development Laboratory
Projects . . .
National Center for Family and Community Connections with Schools
National Partnership for Quality Afterschool Learning
Disability Law Resource Project
National Center for the Dissemination of Disability Research
Research Utilization Support and Help
Southeast Comprehensive Center
Texas Comprehensive Center
Comprehensive School Reform
Program Evaluation Services
Smaller Learning Communities
Reading First Awards Database

5. School Improvement Research
1. A shared understanding of goals and expectations for all involved in the school system is clearly communicated and shared with all stakeholders.
[Berman & Chambliss, 2000; McLaughlin, 1990, Cuban 1988; Elmore & McLaughlin, 1998; Fullan, 1993; Griffen & Barnes, 1984, and others]

6. School Improvement Research
2. High academic standards clearly define what students are to know and be able to do.
[Berman & Chambliss, 2000; McLaughlin, 1990, Cuban 1988; Elmore & McLaughlin, 1998; Fullan, 1993; Griffen & Barnes, 1984, and others]

7. School Improvement Research
3. A strong cadre of leaders provides support for the goals and expectations of the school and the school community.
[Berman & Chambliss, 2000; McLaughlin, 1990, Cuban 1988; Elmore & McLaughlin, 1998; Fullan, 1993; Griffen & Barnes, 1984, and others]

8. School Improvement Research
4. Procedures for purposeful collection and analysis of data on students, programs, and staff underpin all decisions.
[Berman & Chambliss, 2000; McLaughlin, 1990, Cuban 1988; Elmore & McLaughlin, 1998; Fullan, 1993; Griffen & Barnes, 1984, and others]

9. School Improvement Research
5. School staff establish strong, collaborative relationships with family and community partners.
[Berman & Chambliss, 2000; McLaughlin, 1990, Cuban 1988; Elmore & McLaughlin, 1998; Fullan, 1993; Griffen & Barnes, 1984, and others]

10. Children in the US - The Reality
A child from a low-income family enters kindergarten with a listening vocabulary of 3,000 words, while a child of a middle-income family enters with a listening vocabulary of 20,000 words.
[Hart & Risley, 1995]

11. Children in the US - The Reality…
Children who score at the 90th percentile on a reading test spend five times as many minutes per day reading books as children at the 50th percentile.
[Anderson, Wilson, & Fielding, 1988

12. Children in the US - The Reality…
Fourth-graders who reported having 25 books or more at home had higher scores on the NAEP reading test than children who reported they didn’t have that many books.
[NCES, 2004]

13. Family & Community Involvement Research
Pedro Noguera says…
When student’s aren’t successful, it’s not about testing or lack of performance–it’s about what efforts are being made to meet student needs?
[Noguera, 2003]

14. Family & Community Involvement Research
Pedro Noguera says…
We need to challenge the way failure has become normalized—the way we have grown comfortable with predictable failure.
[Noguera, 2003]

15. Family & Community Involvement
Cascading Elements . . .
Historic Context
Cultural Context
Geographic Context
Service Organizations
Support Agencies
Government
Community Services
Business
Local Youth Organizations
Support Groups
Media
Extended Family
Industry
Friends
Teachers
School
Family
Administrators
The Education of the Child

16. Family & Community Involvement Research
“The evidence is consistent, positive, and convincing:
families have a major influence on their children’s achievement in school & throughout life.”
[Henderson & Mapp, A New Wave of Evidence, 2003]

17. Family & Community Involvement Research
“When schools, families, and community groups work together to support learning, children tend to do better in school, stay in school longer, & like school more.”
[Henderson & Mapp, A New Wave of Evidence, 2003]

18. Family & Community Involvement Research
Well-developed programs often demonstrate . . .
Upgraded school facilities
Improved school leadership & staffing
Higher quality learning programs for students
New resources & programs to improve instruction, curriculum, and assessment
Increased social & political capital for the participants
[Henderson & Mapp, A New Wave of Evidence, 2003]

19. School-Parent Compact
NCLB - Action Mandates
Written Parental Involvement Policy
- “developed jointly” -
School-Parent Compact

20. NCLB - Monetary Considerations
Family and Community Involvement Efforts =
1 % of
Title I Allocation

21. NCLB - Family Involvement Mandates
“Developed Jointly”
Written Parental Involvement Policy
Support Student Learning
School-Parent Compact
Multi-faceted Approach

22. NCLB - Family Involvement
NCLB requires that parents
Have the opportunity to play an integral role in the education of their child

23. NCLB - Family Involvement
NCLB requires that parents
Have the opportunity to be actively involved in the education of their child

24. NCLB - Family Involvement
NCLB requires that parents
Are given the opportunity to be full partners in the education of their child

25. NCLB - School-Parent Compact
Schools collaboratively develop
Description of a plan to ensure that all students achieve academic achievement standards

26. NCLB - School-Parent Compact
Schools collaboratively develop
Description of the process to be used for staff-parent communication

27. NCLB - School-Parent Compact
Schools collaboratively develop
Description of the ways parents will provide support for children’s learning

28. Build parents capacity for involvement
NCLB - School’s Responsibility to Parents
Schools is required to
Build parents capacity for involvement

29. NCLB - School’s Responsibility to Parents
Schools is required to
Build parent understanding of state’s standards, accountability system, school-parent compact, & effective methods to support student academics

30. NCLB - School’s Responsibility to Parents
Schools is required to
Address issues related to parent lack of education that impacts support of child's academic needs

31. Plan and Implement these efforts through “meaningful consultation”
NCLB - Action Mandates
Schools is required to
Plan and Implement these efforts through “meaningful consultation”

32. NCLB - School-Parent Compact
How do schools put the pieces together? ?

33. Moving Education Beyond the Building
A Facilitation Guide for School, Family, and Community Connections
Introduction Family and Community Connections with Schools
Build common understandings about central themes found in current research on this topic
Exploring the Syntheses
Investigate current research findings on this topic
Investigating the Research
Build an understanding of evidence and best practices that support effective programs
Moving to Practical Applications
Apply new knowledge to building and expanding programs

34. Effective Family & Community Programs
Deliberately build a school culture that promotes common
Characteristics
&
Actions
[Ferguson, Beyond the Building, 2006]

35. Effective Programs - Characteristics
Relationships
among family, community members, & school staff that foster trust and collaboration.
Recognition
of families’ needs & class & cultural differences that encourage greater understanding & respect among all involved.
Involvement
of all stakeholders in shared partnerships & mutual responsibility for student learning.
[Ferguson, Beyond the Building, 2006]

36. Effective Programs - Actions
Prepare
all of those involved, staff and families, to do the work.
Focus
the work on meaningful outcomes and purposes that relate directly to what students are expected to learn.
Advocate
an inclusive educational culture that involves all stakeholders in the work to support students in their academic pursuits.
[Ferguson, Beyond the Building, 2006]

37. Effective Family & Community Involvement
For programs to be effective, schools, in collaboration with family & community, have to create a structure that encourages & supports family & community members in their efforts to assist students in academic performance.
[Ferguson, Beyond the Building, 2006]

38. Resources Accessed through SEDL Website
Syntheses
Strategy Briefs
Interactive Modules
Symposium Proceedings
Connection Collection
Other Information

39. What Does the Research Say?
Who Benefits from Increased Involvement?
For students
Additional support for learning and personal development
Increased academic achievement
[Henderson & Mapp, A New Wave of Evidence, 2003]

40. What Does the Research Say?
Who Benefits from Increased Involvement?
For families
Access to additional resources to support family needs
Knowledge of how to help children academically
Positive family-school interactions
Opportunities for learning parenting and life skills
[Henderson & Mapp, A New Wave of Evidence, 2003]

41. What Does the Research Say?
Who Benefits from Increased Involvement?
For schools
Additional support for increasing student achievement
Positive perception of school staff, efforts, and programs
Access to additional resources for school improvement efforts
[Henderson & Mapp, A New Wave of Evidence, 2003]

42. What Does the Research Say?
Who Benefits from Increased Involvement?
For communities
Access to and development of additional resources and clients
Additional support for existing outreach programs
[Henderson & Mapp, A New Wave of Evidence, 2003]

43. Supporting Learning Outside of School
Family & Community Connections
Types of Involvement
Supporting Learning Outside of School
Strategies that involve families & partner organizations to support learning in a variety of settings other than the classroom
[Henderson & Mapp, A New Wave of Evidence, 2003]

44. Promoting Shared Decision Making
Family & Community Connections
Types of Involvement
Promoting Shared Decision Making
Strategies that include family & community members as partners in school decisions
[Henderson & Mapp, A New Wave of Evidence, 2003]

45. Expanding Family, Community, & School Communication
Family & Community Connections
Types of Involvement
Expanding Family, Community, & School Communication
Strategies that help to promote effective two-way communications among schools, families, & community members or groups
[Henderson & Mapp, A New Wave of Evidence, 2003]

46. Coordinating Resources & Services
Family & Community Connections
Types of Involvement
Coordinating Resources & Services
Strategies that unite efforts & programs to provide services for families, students, school, & community
[Henderson & Mapp, A New Wave of Evidence, 2003]

47. Fostering Volunteer Support
Family & Community Connections
Types of Involvement
Fostering Volunteer Support
Strategies that organize & support family & community members in their efforts to support the school & its students
[Henderson & Mapp, A New Wave of Evidence, 2003]

48. Supporting Youth Development
Family & Community Connections
Types of Involvement
Supporting Youth Development
Strategies that provide services for students, such as health & physical development, creative expression, & leadership development
[Henderson & Mapp, A New Wave of Evidence, 2003]

49. Fostering Parenting Skills
Family & Community Connections
Types of Involvement
Fostering Parenting Skills
Strategies that assist families with parenting skills & help create home conditions to support student academic achievement
[Henderson & Mapp, A New Wave of Evidence, 2003]

50. Expanding Community Development
Family & Community Connections
Types of Involvement
Expanding Community Development
Strategies that involve the school in community planning & decision making as a community institution, as well as create opportunities for the community to utilize the school’s resources
[Henderson & Mapp, A New Wave of Evidence, 2003]