Family Engagement

Meaningful Family Engagement is based on the premise that parents, educators, and community members share responsibility for youth development.  It is fostered through a deliberate process and embraced throughout the school community.  It empowers adults to jointly support student growth and address barriers to learning and is mindful of diverse school-communities and responsive to student and family needs.  

Family Engagement training sessions below provide a foundational level of support for school/district teams in developing and expanding school-family partnerships. This training is aligned to the Illinois State Board of Education’s Family Engagement Framework.

Foundational-Services Overview (with notes) (optional ) 

Foundational Services – COLOR Infographic

Informational Sheet for Family Engagement

Family Engagement Foundational Services listserv  = familyengagementfs@iarss.org

NETWORKING FOR IMPLEMENTATION

The purpose of Networking for Implementation sessions is to provide participants an opportunity for deeper discussion around shared experiences and expertise for the purpose of implementing approved content in the approved Foundational Services areas.  The Networking for Implementation opportunities are based on specific objectives as determined by identified needs for further implementation discussions and/or exploration of the resources along with sharing.

Networking for Implementation sessions may include one or all of the following objectives for participants within a focus topic:

• Examine a focus topic in depth to support implementation
• Share impacts, successes, and lessons learned related to the implementation of the focus topic by facilitator(s) and participants
• Ask and collaboratively address questions and challenges related to the implementation of the focus topic

Networking for Implementation Guidance Document and Facilitator Considerations

Networking for Implementation ppt

 ISBE Family Engagement Framework

• Family Engagement Framework
• Family Engagement Framework (black and white version)
• Family Engagement Issue Brief
• Assessment and Action Plan Tools

One Day Training Materials:  The materials below are all of the items needed to facilitate the one-day training for Foundational Services Family Engagement.

• Pre-Post Assessment for Family Engagement Training
• Family Engagement One Day PPT
• Family Engagement PD Facilitator’s Guide
• Handouts for Family Engagement One Day Training

The one day family engagement training (see above) has also been broken out into two hour training sessions.  Sessions were developed for the three focus areas in the one day training.  This provides greater flexibility for scheduling and can accommodate specific professional development needs.  The module facilitator guides, presentations and pre and post surveys are available below. 

• Making the Case for Family Engagement: (Optional training– for teams needing extra support increasing stakeholder investment): Participants will build awareness and increase stakeholder involvement in developing meaningful partnerships with families that is linked to learning and healthy development. The training provides a review of key research findings on the impact of family engagement on student achievement and school improvement outcomes as well as a summary of the legislative mandates that require parental involvement.  (Two hours in length) 
  • Making the Case for Family Engagement  — all the materials needed for this two hour module are contained in the linked zip file

• Building Cultural Competency: (Optional training): Participants, attending in teams, will increase their ability to engage families from diverse backgrounds in meaningful and effective ways that are linked to student achievement and school improvement planning.   It is designed to promote personal development, improve communications, interpersonal relationships, group dynamics, team development and inter-group relationships so that team can work effectively in cross-cultural situations.  (Two hours in length)
  • Building Cultural Competency  — all the materials needed for this two hour module are contained in the linked zip file

• ISBE Family Engagement Framework:  This training is primarily designed to build awareness and capacity on how to use Illinois State Board of Education’s (ISBE) Family Engagement (FE) Framework.  The training provides a complete review of ISBE’s FE Framework and its various components.  Participants will learn how to use this tool in developing and expanding school-family partnerships to support student learning and healthy development.  (Two hours in length) 
  • ISBE Family Engagement Framework— all the materials needed for this two hour module are contained in the linked zip file

• Collaborative Approach:  This training is designed to introduce participants to a collaborative approach to engaging families in order to jointly support student learning and healthy development.   Paramount to this work is the ability to include parents in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of family engagement efforts.  This training will specifically focus on how to establish and maintain an effective team in which all members, including family representatives, have a shared commitment to improving family engagement and student outcomes.  (Two hours in length) 
  • Collaborative Approach— all the materials needed for this two hour module are contained in the linked zip file

• Assessing and Action Planning: Participants, attending in teams, will build their capacity in assessing and planning for meaningful family engagement using the self-assessment and action planning tools. 
  • Assessing and Action Planning Tool — all the materials needed for this two hour module are contained in the linked zip file

Other Resources

• The Illinois Families & School Success website is a gateway to evidence-based resources about ways Illinois families can be involved in the education and learning of their children (preK-high school). Resources include an events calendar, Parent Engagement Success Stories, the ISBE Parent Engagement Framework, and other information pertinent to school staff and families. Subscribe to get the email newsletter delivered to your inbox.
• Family Engagement Resource Alignment Tool
• ISBE Resource Handout
• Reference Material 4-21-15

ISBE approved family friendly links:

http://www.ilclassroomsinaction.org/stakeholder-communications.html (for community, boards, parents, and teachers)

http://www.ilclassroomsinaction.org/ctc-newsletters.html (Capture the Core newsletter archives, October should be posted soon!)

http://www.ilclassroomsinaction.org/parents-and-families.html (all for families)

CONTACT INFORMATION

This program is fully (100%) funded with federal grant dollars.