1. Family-School-Community Partnering for Student Success
4/20/2017
Family-School-Community Partnering for Student Success
February 26, 2015

2. Comprehensive, Sustainable Structure Components
Framework
Meet the Challenges
Reach Results for Students
Action Team
Action Plan
Evaluation

3. Family-School-Community Partnerships
4/20/2017
Family-School-Community Partnerships
A Research Base

4. OVERLAPPING SPHERES OF INFLUENCE OF FAMILY, SCHOOL, AND COMMUNITY ON
Theoretical Model
OVERLAPPING SPHERES OF INFLUENCE OF
FAMILY, SCHOOL, AND COMMUNITY ON
CHILDREN’S LEARNING
Force C
Experience,
Philosophy,
Practices
of School
Force B
Experience,
Philosophy,
Practices
of Family
Force D
Experience,
Philosophy,
Practices
of Community
This is a theoretical model for how school, family, and community interaction effects children’s learning. It was developed by Dr. Joyce Epstein based decades of research from schools primarily located in Baltimore City. You will see that three entities are represented: Family, School, and Community. Community can include businesses, school alumni, neighbors, parents with children not yet at school age. Each group does some things for students separately, and others together.
What are some sole responsibilities for families? Schools? The Community?
Depending on the extend of collaboration, the spheres either move closer together or farther apart. This model is NOT a Venn diagram. It is a dynamic model that is different for every student and school and can change over time. If the school’s beliefs and values differ greatly from those of the family, the circles will move away from each other. Likewise, if families, schools, and the community unite for a shared goal/vision, the circles will move closer together.
Just think about the answer to this question, you don’t need to vocalize it, but if you were to draw the Overlapping Spheres of Influence Model for you school, families, and community, how do you think it would look? Keep that question in mind as we move throughout the day.
Force A
Time/Age/Grade Level

5. Implementation Research
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Implementation Research
Families vary in how much they are presently involved.
Students need multiple sources of support to succeed in school and in their communities.
Teachers and administrators may be initially hesitant to increasing family involvement.
Teachers, administrators, and external supports need inservice, preservice, and advanced education on partnerships.
Schools must reach out in order to involve all families.
Epstein, J. L. et al. (2009). School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Your Handbook for Action (Third Edition). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

6. Partnership Structure Development
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Structures and practices of partnership make a difference.
Subject-specific practices assist students’ learning.
Teachers who use practices of partnership are more likely to report that all families can help their children.
Structures will be most useful to schools and to families if they are customized, comprehensive, and continually improved to help meet important goals for students.
Epstein, J. L. et al. (2009). School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Your Handbook for Action (Third Edition). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

7. Link to Achievement Academic Press Clear content High expectations
Accountability for performance
Social Support
Strong social ties with adults in and out of school
Results when Both are Present
Four times yearly growth in math
Three times yearly growth in English 7
Lee, V.E. et al. (1999). Social support, academic press, and student achievement: A view from the middle grades in Chicago .

8. National Standards for Family-School Partnerships
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National Standards for Family-School Partnerships

9. Welcoming All Families into the School Community
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Welcoming All Families into the School Community
Families are active participants in the life of the school, and feel welcomed, valued, and connected to each other, to school staff, and to what students are learning and doing in class.
Create a welcome climate.
Build a respectful, inclusive school community.
Create opportunities for families, staff, and administrators to develop personal relationships.
Key Discussion Points:
For each standard, please think about your site or situation. Think about classrooms and buildings. Think about every student, family, and staff member. What does it look like?
What about students and families who are learning English?
What about students and/or families who might experience behavioral challenges or mental illness?
It is important to highlight the word “learning”.
It is important to highlight the the word “inclusive”.
Meet the Challenge
PTA (2009). PTA National Standards for Family-School Partnerships: An Implementation Guide.

10. Communicating Effectively
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Communicating Effectively
Families and school staff engage in regular, two-way, meaningful communication about student learning.
Share information between school and families.
Communication should be two-way and on-going.
Provide information in a language and format that is easy for families to understand and access.
Key Discussion Points:
The communication is about student “learning”.
Key words are “regular”, “two-way”, and “meaningful”.
Families have important information to share with schools – help us to do our jobs better in supporting student learning.
This standard is of central importance in building relationships and trust.
It sometimes takes time, as is a shift.
It implies reaching out, following up, asking for feedback, and information.
This is how cultures are shared between home and school.
Meet the Challenge
PTA (2009). PTA National Standards for Family-School Partnerships: An Implementation Guide.

11. Supporting Student Success
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Supporting Student Success
Families and school staff continuously collaborate to support students’ learning and healthy development both at home and at school, and have regular opportunities to strengthen their knowledge and skills to do so effectively.
Share information about student progress.
Support learning by engaging families.
Develop families’ capacity to strengthen learning at home, including through interactive homework assignments.
Key Discussion Points:
It is important that learning be coordinated between home and school.
Families, school staff, and community members are all adult learners as well – and this is new for many.
It is important to provide support for all learners.
Families benefit from knowing their role and what can work in supporting their child.
Families need to know how important they are in their child’s education.
Asking families what they need to support learning and following up – sends the message that there is a team supporting their student and they are members.
The focus of all family-school partnering is always “student success”; it alleviates defensiveness and allows for discussions about learning.
Extended families can participate as well – the key is “families” .
Meet the Challenge
PTA (2009). PTA National Standards for Family-School Partnerships: An Implementation Guide.

12. Speaking up for Every Child
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Speaking up for Every Child
Families are empowered to be advocates for their own and other children, to ensure that students are treated fairly and have access to learning opportunities that will support their success.
Understand how the school system works.
Empower families to support their own and other children’s success in school.
Ensure that families are aware that federal and state laws mandate that schools involve and inform families.
Key Discussion Points:
This is about “learning opportunities” at home, school, and in the community.
Helping families to understand the complexities of “school” and that each classroom and level is different.
Having a voice is a component of two-way communication and feeling welcomed.
Trainings should be offered jointly to staff and families whenever possible and appropriate – in partnering there is sharing of information.
Families need information and support to be empowered – it is the school’s job to reach out and invite their voices.
Meet the Challenge
PTA (2009). PTA National Standards for Family-School Partnerships: An Implementation Guide.

13. Sharing Power Meet the Challenge
4/20/2017
Sharing Power
Families and school staff are equal partners in decisions that affect children and families and together inform, influence, and create policies, practices, and programs.
Strengthen the families’ voice in shared decision-making.
Build families social and political connections.
Include family leaders from all racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and other groups in the school.
Key Discussion Points:
Families can help guide our efforts.
They can review policies, practices, and communication with the family lens.
Families need to know their role when on committees and councils.
This isn’t about families telling teachers and administrators how to do their job or what curriculum to use – it is about families sharing their expertise, cultures, and student knowledge and learning about the educational system, their roles.
In partnerships, everyone brings ideas and expertise to the table – the goal is student success.
“On the team and at the table” is a another way to describe this standard.
This standard includes individual student meetings such as IEPs, ALPs, READ etc. – families are part of developing, implementing, and monitoring plans.
Meet the Challenge
PTA (2009). PTA National Standards for Family-School Partnerships: An Implementation Guide.

14. Collaborating with the Community
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Collaborating with the Community
Families and school staff collaborate with community members to connect students, families, and staff to expanded learning opportunities, community services, and civic participation.
Connect the school with community resources.
Have the school give back to the community.
Establish ways for the school to give back to the community.
Key Discussion Points:
Community resources can be crucial in expanding learning opportunities.
Families and schools benefit when there are community resources involved in meaningful ways.
Before and after school coordinated support can improve student achievement.
Students learn about community participation and civic responsibility.
It is important to be strategic and intentional, so that there are sustainable relationships and ongoing programs.
Meet the Challenge
PTA (2009). PTA National Standards for Family-School Partnerships: An Implementation Guide.

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16. Family Partnership Resources
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Family Partnership Resources
Family/Parent Resources:
Training Resources:
SACPIE:
Colorado Academic Standards Guides:
Family Partnering Brochure:

17. Discussion Question
How can you help build capacity in school and parent leaders to implement the National Standards for Family-School Partnerships? 17

18. 4/20/2017
Thank You!
Darcy Hutchins, Ph.D. (w) (c) SACPIE 18