Identify opportunities to increase K-12 engagement and partnerships within your district or school community with these tips.
Strong relationships between schools, families, and communities can have a defining impact on K–12 student achievement and outcomes. Engaging family and community members in school experiences allows education leaders to not only support student learning and development, but also improve their own operational practices and strengthen school climate.
Download the infographic to learn about:
- The benefits of family and community engagement
- Tips to increase engagement
- Ways to measure partnership engagement
“Engagement improves even more when districts regularly collect data on family and community members’ needs, perceptions, and priorities.”
The Benefits of K-12 Family Engagement in Schools
Research demonstrates that fostering stronger family and community engagement can help districts and schools:
Increase Student Achievement
Strong family engagement in schools is associated with faster rates of literacy acquisition among children, increased rates of going on to secondary education, and decreased rates of school dropout. In addition, when families know about and encourage students to take rigorous classes, students are more likely to enroll and score higher on tests.
Improve Student Attendance and Behavior
15% of public school teachers report student absenteeism as a “serious problem” at their school. Large classroom sizes and students perceiving classrooms as chaotic, uncaring, or boring are associated with student absenteeism.
While many schools provide fun incentives to promote good attendance, family and community involvement has been shown to be a more important influence on student attendance.
Enhance K-12 Staff Understanding of Family and Community Needs
Schools may wish to involve families and community members in students’ experiences, but not understand their needs, interests, and ideas about partnering. Transparency and open dialogue about school policies and initiatives are necessary to promote family understanding. Partnering with local organizations or community members that understand these differences can be helpful in building community ties and meeting the needs of all student supporters.
Strengthen School Reputation
Schools that engage families and community members see a statistically significant increase in their reputation. When strong family-school-community partnerships result in improved academic outcomes, attendance, and family comfort, the school becomes known as a valuable place to receive an education and student support.
Read our infographic for meaningful, actionable guidance for strengthening family and community engagement at the school and district level.
