1. 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.

2. 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. . .?

3. 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?

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

5. 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.

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 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

8. 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

9. 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.

10. 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

11. 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

12. Framework of 6 Types of Involvement

13. 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

14. Solve Challenges to Engage
ALL Families

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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.

19. Reach Results Welcoming School Parents as Partners
Results for Students

20. 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

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

22. …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.

23. Evaluate Results

24. 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

25. 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

26. 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

27. 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

28. 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

29. 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?

30. 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.

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

32. 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).