Family-School-Community Partnerships

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family school community

Family-school-community partnerships are a shared responsibility and reciprocal process whereby schools and other community agencies and organizations engage families in meaningful and culturally appropriate ways, and families take initiative to actively support their children’s development and learning. Schools and community organizations also make efforts to listen to parents, support them, and ensure that they have the tools to be active partners in their children’s school experience.

Partnerships are essential for helping students achieve at their maximum potential and while parent and community involvement has always been a cornerstone of public schools, greater recognition and support of these collaborative efforts is needed.

 

Featured Resources

Family Involvement in Elementary School Children's Education cover page

Synthesizes the latest research that demonstrates how family involvement contributes to elementary-school-age children's learning and development. Summarizes the latest evidence base on effective involvement—specifically, the research studies that link family involvement during the elementary school years to outcomes and programs that have been evaluated to show what works.

 

Cover image of Four Important Things to Know About the Transition to School

Defines transition as a process—not just a one-time event—that begins during children’s preschool years and continues into and through 3rd grade. This transition is also a time when children begin to take part in an increasing number of learning settings, both in and out of school. The article highlights four important things research indicates about the transition to school,  equity issues, smooth transitions to school, the role of families, and partnerships among families, schools and communities.

Handbook on Family and Community Engagement cover page

Provides educators, community leaders, and parents with a survey of the best research and practice related to engaging families and communities in students’ learning and academic, social, and emotional development. Includes chapters on aspirations and expectations, self-efficacy, homework and study habits, engaging families in reading, reading and literacy, college and career readiness, partnerships, and more.

Parent, Family, Community Involvement in Education cover page

Discusses an updated, more inclusive model of parental engagement: school-family-community partnerships, to include parents, extended family members, and caregivers working in collaboration with business leaders and community groups in goal-oriented activities linked to improved student achievement and school success. Presents specific strategies to engage families and communities in education and examples of successful parent-family-community partnerships.

Partnerships for Learning: Profiles of Three School-Community Partnership Efforts cover page

Provides a snapshot of three school–community partnerships in action and illustrates how diverse programs and models take advantage of five core strategies to effectively build and sustain partnerships for learning. Highlights certain aspects of how the partnerships have been applied in the day-to-day lives of schools and community-based programs. 

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