An increasing body of research shows that children whose parents are involved in their education earn better grades, exhibit improved behavior, and enjoy brighter futures. However, the real challenge is fostering meaningful family engagement to ensure that parents and caregivers can effectively support each student’s success. Thankfully, we are surrounded by a wealth of resources and experts dedicated to helping schools and families work together for the benefit of every child.
Locally, in Indiana, we have the Indiana Partnerships Center (IPC), which works to engage, equip, and empower parents to be involved in their students’ education. IPC partners with stakeholders to strengthen parent engagement efforts, promote best practices, and advocate for reform. They are our local experts on parent engagement.
The Harvard Family Research Project (HFRP) is a hub of information promoting family and community engagement in education. HFRP believes that a clear and commonly shared framework and definition of family engagement can—and will—inspire policy investments in family engagement, which will, in turn, contribute to school improvement and student success.
The three core principles of HFRP developed for family engagement policy are:
- Shared Responsibility—First, family engagement is a shared responsibility in which schools and other community agencies and organizations are committed to reaching out to families in meaningful ways and in which families are committed to actively supporting their children’s learning and development.
- Continuous—Family engagement is also continuous throughout a child’s life and entails enduring commitment but changing parent roles as children mature into young adulthood.
- Comprehensive—Finally, effective family engagement cuts across and reinforces learning in the multiple settings where children learn—at home, in prekindergarten programs, in school, afterschool programs, faith-based institutions, and in the community.
HFRP also has great online resources for engaging families, including the Handbook of School–Family Partnerships. This handbook presents a comprehensive, integrated family, school, and community partnership framework that can help level the playing field for disadvantaged children and ensure that they have access to the parental involvement and community engagement practices of their more advantaged peers to enhance their learning.
Transform Consulting Group is committed to helping organizations align their work to the latest research and best practices. Contact us today for a free consultation!
