1. PARTNERSHIPS THEN and NOW
New Directions for Developing Programs of
School, Family, and Community Partnerships
for Student Success in School
Every Student, Every Day:
Strategies to Address Attendance and Truancy,
Virginia Department of Education
April 13, 2016
Joyce L. Epstein, Ph.D., Director
Center on School, Family, and Community Partnerships
Working Together for Student Success
© 2016

2. How Can Educators and Parents
Strengthen and Sustain Healthy Schools
for Healthy and Successful Students?
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 with “school-like” families
An EXCELLENT school that students, teachers,
parents, and others WANT to attend and support
Other ideas. . .?

3. 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 AchievementS
Commitment to Role of Student
High Graduation/Low Dropout Rates
Promotion to Each New Grade Level
College or Career Plans and Actions
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?

4. 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 all policy levels.

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

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

7. Organized by one person or just a few NOW
RESPONSIBILITY
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

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

9. Action Team Structure 2-3 teachers 2-3 parents/family members
Principal
Others (nurse, counselor, secretary,
parent liaison, community partners,
representative of PTA/PTO, others)
1-2 students at
high school level

10. 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.

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

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

13. Use the Framework of Six Types of Involvement

14. COLLABORATING WITH COMMUNITY
Keys to School, Family, and Community Partnerships
EPSTEIN’s FRAMEWORK OF SIX 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
Type 5
DECISION MAKING
All major groups represented on school committees.
Type 6
COLLABORATING WITH COMMUNITY
Resources and volunteers from many groups, agencies.

15. Solve Challenges to Involve ALL Families

16. CHALLENGES NOW “Realities” Solutions sought
THEN
“Barriers”
Diverse family
structures,
racial, economic,
linguistic, 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

17. Separate groups of parents PTA, Special Ed., After-School, others
IMPLEMENTATION
THEN
PreK-K
Separate groups of parents
Isolated activities
NOW
All grades, PreK-12
All groups in an
integrated program,
PTA, Special Ed., After-School, others
Sense of
community

18. State, and Organizations, Meet requirements for official policies
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

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

20. STATE Leaders for Partnerships Have THREE Major Responsibilities
Conduct STATE-LEVEL leadership activities for family and community engagement –
PARTNERSHIP
PROGRAM
GOALS
GUIDE DISTRICT Leaders for Partnerships to conduct district-level activities for family and community engagement
GUIDE DISTRICT Leaders for Partnerships to FACILITATE school-based Action Teams
for Partnerships (ATPs)

21. Reach Results
for
Student Success

22. 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

23. Summary of Results of Research on Student Attendance
RESULTS FOR STUDENTS
Attendance is linked to higher student achievement, better behavior, grade-by-grade promotion, on-time graduation, and other indicators of success in school.
Chronic absence is linked to school drop out, lower grades, lower test scores, behavior problems, and high-risk behaviors in middle and high school.
RESULTS FOR SCHOOLS
Attendance affects school funding, school climate, public ratings of school quality.

24. School, Family, and Community Partnerships on Student Attendance
Summary of Results of
School, Family, and Community Partnerships
on Student Attendance
Three Early Studies at Johns Hopkins University
Question: Does systematic attention to developing
a program of family and community
involvement affect student attendance
over 1 year?
STUDY 1 12 elementary schools in NNPS
STUDY elementary & secondary schools in NNPS
Schools are members in the National Network of Partnership Schools and were interested in using family and community involvement to help them reduce student attendance problems.
Baseline survey sent in the fall of 2000, Follow up sent in the fall of 2001
Diversity in the schools that participated in the study:
Free and reduced-price lunches ranged from 1.3% up to 100% of students
ESL ranged from 0% to 95% of students at a school.
STUDY 3 Statewide sample of 76 elementary
schools in NNPS and matched sample
not in NNPS
(Epstein & Sheldon, 2002; Sheldon & Epstein, 2004; Sheldon, 2007)

25. Results of Family and Community Engagement
on Attendance
In all 3 studies, schools’ outreach to involve families significantly influenced student attendance.
In Study 3, with comparison schools, student attendance improved an average of 0.5% in schools working to implement programs of school, family, and community partnerships, whereas in comparison schools, student attendance declined slightly.

26. Specific Partnership Practices Improved Students’ Daily Attendance and Reduced Chronic Absence
Orient parents on school policies and expectations for student attendance and on-time arrival.
Provide parents with a school contact person.
Reward students for good and improved attendance; alert parents to the awards/lists of students with excellent or improved attendance.
Communicate as often as needed to provide all families with information on attendance.
Conduct strong after-school (extra curricular) programs for students.
Conduct more of the list of 14 attendance-related activities to engage students, families, educators, and community partners.

27. Also Reduced Chronic Absenteeism
Different Practices
Also Reduced Chronic Absenteeism
Make home visits
Refer chronically absent students to a
school counselor
Refer chronically absent students to truant officer
(in firm, but positive, ways)

28. Recommendations Schools should take a comprehensive approach
to increase attendance and reduce chronic absenteeism:
* a range of activities with students, teachers,
counselors, parents, and community partners
to encourage students’ good attendance.
* frequent and positive two-way communications
with families about attendance.
* emphasize “human” qualities and connections
to increase “caring” about attendance.
* sustain attention on attendance over time to reach
set goals.

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

30. TYPE 1 TYPE 2 TYPE 3 TYPE 4 TYPE 5 TYPE 6
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL EXAMPLE
for a One-Year Action Plan
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 on reading progress.
TYPE 3
Reading-partner volunteers, guest readers of favorite stories, and other organized, ongoing read-with-me activities.
TYPE 4
Weekly interactive reading homework activities for all students to read aloud for a family partner, show links of reading and writing.
TYPE 5
PTA/PTO support for a family room or parent center to provide information on children’s reading, and to conduct book swaps, make book bags for read-at-home programs, and sponsor 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 Six Types of Involvement to improve student outcomes.

31. …AND MANY OTHER IDEAS FOR EACH TYPE OF INVOLVEMENT
MIDDLE SCHOOL EXAMPLES
for a One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships
to IMPROVE ATTENDANCE
ATTENDANCE GOAL
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
TYPE 5
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 6
Agreement with local businesses for “gold cards” for % discounts for students and families for good or improved attendance each report card period.
…AND MANY OTHER IDEAS FOR EACH TYPE OF INVOLVEMENT

32. Tell your “elbow” partner about one successful activity that
PAIR-SHARE ACTIVITY No school is at “ground zero” on family and community engagement.
Tell your “elbow” partner about
one successful activity that
your school or a school you know well conducts to engage families in ways that increase student learning
or improve attendance.

33. Evaluate Results

34. 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

35. 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

36. Title I guidelines to communicate
EQUITY ISSUES
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

37. 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

38. PAIR-SHARE ACTIVITY Tell your “elbow” partner:
LEADERSHIP at state, district, school levels
Definition
RESULTS for STUDENTS
ACTION TEAM
Framework- 6 Types
LINK to School Goals
ANNUAL ACTION PLAN
All Grade Levels
EQUITY—Engage ALL Families
Budgeting
EVALUATION
Networking
PAIR-SHARE ACTIVITY Tell your “elbow” partner:
WHICH CHANGE from THEN to NOW
Is most important for improving
programs of
family and community involvement?
and WHY?

39. 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 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.
District, organization, and state leaders for partnerships
guide schools in this work.

40. Help is available from NNPS at Johns Hopkins University
A network can help!
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 Title I requirements for family involvement.
Networking opportunities to share best practices with hundreds of schools, districts, states, and organizations across the country.

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

42. MORE NNPS PUBLICATIONS SAMPLERS
FROM NNPS 2015
FROM NNPS 2013
FROM NNPS TIPS
Interactive Homework
Elem Math K-5
Middle Grades
Language Arts 6-8
Science 6-8
See TIPS RESOURCES
on the
NNPS website
SAMPLERS
Research and
Involvement Activities
READING, MATH
SCIENCE, WRITING
ARTS, HEALTH,
ATTENDANCE, BEHAVIOR, HOMEWORK, TRANSITIONS, FATHERS
COLLEGE and CAREERS,
PRESCHOOLS,
MIDDLE SCHOOLS,
HIGH SCHOOLS

43. Q & A? What questions do you have about . . .
. . . using research-based approaches to
strengthen family and community
engagement to reach important goals –
including good attendance?
. . . other questions on partnership program
development?

44. Baltimore, Maryland jepstein@jhu.edu at Johns Hopkins University.
For more information
visit NNPS at
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.

45. Check resource package

46. SAVE General Patterns in Studies of Student Attendance
Schools with good attendance one year
tend to have good attendance the next.
Schools with excellent teachers and engaging curricula and instruction tend to have good attendance every year.
Within districts, average daily attendance and rates of chronic absence can vary greatly between schools (e.g., from 5% to over 40-50%) of student population.
In one study, over two years, on average, chronic absence declined in elementary schools and increased in secondary schools.