Maryland’s PreK-12 Family Engagement Framework: A Shared Responsibility Barbara Scherr & Young-chan Han Title I/Family Engagement Program Improvement and Family Support Branch Maryland State Department of Education Introduce presenters and welcome participants

Overview: MD’s Family Engagement History MD’s PreK-12 Family Engagement Framework Discuss how to use the framework to support students and families

Family Engagement in Maryland Maryland’s Story Maryland’s Story Authors: Voices from the Field

Family Engagement in Maryland 1990’s 2000’s MD Parent Advisory Council Two staff members Change of division name PIMA Superintendent’s Family Engagement Council 1st State to join NNPS Family Involvement POC

Family Engagement in Maryland As the pages turn….the story continues to evolve LEA (FICs) Community Partners (MDPTA & MAEC) SEA (MSDE)

Family Engagement in Maryland The next chapter moving forward….. Early Childhood Family Engagement Framework (2014) Prek-12 Family Engagement Framework (2015)

Maryland’s PreK-12 Family Engagement Framework Division Goal #3: To develop a family engagement framework that will maximize the capacity of educators to work in partnership with families to support student academic achievement and success. Developing a Family Engagement Framework – this was one of the three goals of the Division of Student, Family, and School Support (DOSFSS) at the Maryland State Department of Education.

Maryland’s PreK-12 Family Engagement Framework The purpose is to influence intentional thinking and actions necessary to implement family engagement policies and practices at the state, district, and school levels, preK-12. Process: A core team, comprised mostly of Maryland State Department of Education staff as well as parents, school level administrators, and community members, was created to work on the Framework. Together the team accomplished the following tasks: Researched existing frameworks in other states Met over an 18 month period Adapted a vision, guiding principles, belief statement, and framework based on research and existing best practices Vetted for a 3-week public comment period Over 50 comments were received, mostly accolades. There were a few suggestions to the actual framework addressing verbiage, including examples, and some venting . Several of the comments were embedded into the final framework.

Maryland’s Prek-12 Family Engagement Framework Builds on prior and current family engagement efforts Maryland Parent Advisory Council Maryland’s Early Childhood Family Engagement Framework Aligned with federal and state requirements, particularly Sect. 1118, Title I, Part A Supports National PTA Standards and family engagement research Aligned with federal and state requirements: Title I, Part A, Section 1118/ Title III/ Early Learning Family Engagement Framework/ 21st Century Learning 9

Maryland’s PreK-12 Family Engagement Framework Belief Statement Vision Guiding Principles Core Areas Notes: The full document includes an introduction, purpose, vision, belief statement, process for developing framework, future considerations, and the framework principles: Vision - Families, educators, and community members work together as partners, hold themselves mutually accountable, and have the knowledge, skills, and confidence to succeed at improving the achievement of all students. Belief Statement - adapted from Maryland’s Early Childhood Family Engagement Framework and the National Family, School, and Community Engagement Working Group:   Family engagement is a shared responsibility of families, schools, and communities to support student learning and achievement, continuous from birth through the school-age years. It occurs across various settings wherever children learn--in the home, early childhood settings, school, after-school programs, faith-based institutions, and community programs and activities. Family engagement includes building relationships with families that support their well-being, sustaining strong parent–child relationships, and providing opportunities for ongoing learning and development of both parents and children. As a shared responsibility, schools and other community agencies and organizations are committed to engaging families in meaningful and culturally respectful ways, and families are committed to actively supporting their children’s learning and development. Examples

Fabulous 5 Framework Principles Welcoming All Families Encouraging Partnerships among Schools, Families, and Community Supporting Student Learning and Supporting Student Success Building Capacity among School Stakeholders Promoting Effective School-family communication Under each principles: Kept it short – US Today headline – speaks to the point ( Short and concise) Each principles have three sub-sections: 1.Bullets - captures the essence of each area. 2.Write-up: What it is 3. Sample strategies: FIC’s input Welcoming All Families Sailing Through the System School Tours Neighborhood Walk-Throughs Form Filling Classroom Walk-Throughs Effective School, Family, Communication Multiple Ways to Communicate Building Capacity/Leadership Opportunities for Parents Identify parent talents Parent Academy College and Career Readiness day (parent volunteers) Technology night Student Learning and Student Success Family nights Home visits Partnerships Weekly Parent Chit-Chat Care Packs Library, local agencies, faith-based orgs., etc. Outreach at the Mall Parent Cafes Family engagement must be: INTENTIONAL PURPOSEFUL MEANINGFUL

Principle 1: Welcoming All Families Examples: Offer training for front office staff. Conduct neighborhood walk-throughs. Post signs welcoming families in multiple languages. Activity: (in pairs or as a table discussion) Think about places that you’ve visited. Was there any place that you felt so welcomed? If so, why did the place made you feel that way? Now, Think about your school. How does your school welcome all families? What ideas do you have to ensure families feel welcomed at your school? Explanation of each activity on the slide: Offer training for front office staff: Since the front office is the first place visitors go, it’s important the visitors are greeted with a friendly smile upon entering the office. Neighborhood Walk-Throughs: School staff members from administrators to teachers to school counselors walk through neighborhoods to meet students/family members. It also offers school staff a better understanding of the community in which their students represent. Post signs welcoming families in multiple languages: What do the welcome signs at your school look like? If your school comprises families representing various countries, perhaps post signs and information in the languages your student body represents. Other ideas: Sailing Through the System: The program offers parents basic information – from the roles of different school staff members to school openings/closings to a tour of the school. Essentially, providing information to parents so they have basic information to navigate the school and/or school system. School Tours: Prior to back to school or whenever a new family enrolls in school, family members are offered a school tour. Form Filling: Form-filling nights or days are scheduled to assist parents/guardians with completing the number of forms that need to be completed on behalf of their student. This is particularly helpful to parents who are speakers of other languages. Note: Staff assisting parents/guardians completing forms must be trained as information is confidential. Classroom Walk-throughs: Parents/guardians and/or community members are invited to visit the school and observe classrooms in session so they can see what students are being taught.

Principle 2: Encouraging Partnerships Among Schools, Family and Community Examples: Outreach in the community. Invite local community organizations to share resources at school events. Consider stake holder “asset mapping” to identify better talents and resources. Activity: Discussion in pairs or as a table Think about your school. What types of partnerships does your school have? What community partnerships may be helpful for your students and families? How can you establish partnerships within your community? Explanation of activities on slide: Host outreach activities in community: As a school, determine what types of supports would be helpful for families and offer outreaches at school or in the community like faith based organizations, parks, shopping centers/malls, etc. Invite local family support services and community organizations to share resources at school events: Bring resources Examples Health Fairs or Resource Fairs, College Fairs, invite service providers and/or businesses to attend school events like Back-to-School, concerts, sporting events, etc. Consider “asset mapping” to better understand and embrace the strengths, talents, and resources that family and community members bring to support the school: Survey or personally reach out to parents/guardians to identify skill sets, knowledge, or areas of expertise that can support the school in many ways from horticulture to carpentry to health related fields. Other Examples: Care Packs: schools have organized partnerships to prepare backpacks filled with non-perishable food items for students to take home over the weekend for breakfast and/or lunch. Library, local agencies, faith-based orgs.. etc.: Suggested partners for schools to help support students. Outreach at the Mall: Different times during the year, schools set up a table at a local mall or shopping center to share school related information. It also a way of keeping the school present in the community. Parent Cafes: Organized and structured parent meetings to discuss very specific topics from child development to school support. Sharing awareness of child/adolescent development and transition: Post information on school website or have information available at school regarding resources that address various child development topics. Ensuring pathways to educational excellence: Informing parents/guardians of college/career opportunities for students, i.e., specialized studies like the arts, various trades, languages, etc.

Principle 3: Supporting Student Learning and Student Success Examples Conduct student-led parent/teacher conferences. Analyze data, i.e., school culture/climate data , parent surveys, etc. Invite parents on school decision making teams. Activity: Discussion in pairs or as a table Think about your school. What support does your school offer to parents to support student learning and success? What can be added to how your school supports student learning and success? Explanation of activities on slide: Conduct student-led parent/teacher conferences. Analyze school culture and climate data, parent surveys, etc., to target outreach for parents and/or staff: Be intentional about the information that school collects to learn about what teachers and parents are saying about the school culture and climate. Ensure parents are represented on school decision making teams. Other examples: Family Nights: Outreach to parents on specific topics that support their needs from workshops on behavioral issues like how to help my child with ADD/ADHD to a 3rd grade math night targeted to struggling students. Home Visits: School staff members visiting a students home for positive reasons as a way to build relationships with the family. Ongoing communication: This can be in the form of brief messages teachers write in students’ agendas to positive personal call and/or emails to parents/guardians regarding their child to brief weekly updates on what students are learning.

Principle 4: Building Capacity Among School Stakeholders Examples: Develop a parent involvement plan of how the school will engage families to support student success and achievement. Host a book club for staff on a book related to family engagement. Invite parents to school to discuss strategies around engagement. Activity: Discussion in pairs or as a table Think about your school. How does your school build capacity of educators to work with parents? What type of training or information would be helpful for staff members?

Principle 5: Promoting Effective School-Family Communication Example Make positive phone calls, emails, or texts. Survey parents. Take 2 – take two minutes to send a personal note to a parent thanking them for their support, input, etc. Multiple Ways to Communicate E-mail, flyers, social media, texting, in-person, webinars, conferences Weekly Parent Chit-Chat Parent Cafes

Question…… How does the Framework align with what your schools are already doing to support Family Engagement?

References and Resources United State Department of Education—Family and Community Engagement http://www.ed.gov/family-and-community-engagement A Parent Checklist United States Department of Education’s Dual Capacity Building Framework http://www2.ed.gov/documents/family-community/partnership-frameworks.pdf http://www2.ed.gov/documents/family-community/partners-education.pdf National PTA Standards National Network of Partnership Schools (NNPS) Epstein’s Six Types of Family Involvement Framework The Early Childhood Family Engagement Framework: Maryland’s Vision for Engaging Families with Young Children http://marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/divisions/child_care/docs/MD_Fam_Engage.pdf