• III-A-1: Parent/Family Engagement
    Unsatisfactory
    Needs Improvement
    Proficient
    Exemplary
    Does not welcome families to become participants in the classroom and school community or actively discourages their participation. Makes limited attempts to involve families in school and/or classroom activities, meetings, and planning. Uses a variety of strategies to support every family to participate actively and appropriately in the classroom and school community. Successfully engages most families and sustains their active and appropriate participation in the classroom and school community. Is able to model this element.
    Coming Soon
    What instructional practices should be observed? What student impacts should be expected?
    For TEACHERS this may look like.

    1. Teacher communicates little to no information to families about their children's education.

    1. Teacher communicates critical information to families about their children's education. May send home a syllabus and/or calendar but provides limited supplemental information that supports their children's education.

    1. Teacher consistently communicates both critical and supplemental information that helps families be informed and find ways to support their children's education.

    1. Teacher consistently communicates both critical and supplemental information that helps families be informed and take charge of their children's education.

    1. Teacher relies on passive, schoolwide family engagement strategies like open houses.

    1. Teacher relies on a limited repertoire of family engagement strategies such as emails, conferences, and newsletters.

    1. Teacher utilizes a variety of culturally appropriate strategies that engage families in activities in the classroom and school.

    1. Teacher utilizes a wide variety of strategies, such as home visits to build awareness of families' cultures, and uses this knowledge to reach out to most families in culturally respectful ways.
    1. Teacher rarely initiates contact with families, even when students are struggling.

    1. Teacher sometimes initiates contact with families, but only when an issue arises and/or with only a portion of students' families.

    1. Teacher regularly initiates contact with families and maintains a welcoming classroom consistently throughout the year.

    1. Teacher fosters a class culture that extends beyond the classroom and into the home, and welcomes all families in an equitable manner to participate throughout the year.
    As a result, the IMPACT on STUDENTS may be...

    1. Families are not provided with opportunities to participate in classroom activities.

    1. Families receive basic information about what students are learning that do not elicit an exchange between teacher and families.

    1. Families receive regular information that includes both information about the class and opportunities for families to be involved.

    1. Families receive differentiated communication that facilitates an exchange with the teacher about their children's education and accommodates individual family needs.

    1. Families are not asked to share their insights and knowledge about their students through surveys and listening conferences.

    1. Families are rarely asked to share their insights and knowledge about their students through surveys and listening conferences.

    1. Families are asked to share their insights and knowledge about their students through surveys and listening conferences.

    1. Families are asked to share their insights and knowledge about their students through surveys and listening conferences, and to co-construct strategies to engage students in learning inside and out of the classroom.
    Name Description Type
    Interview with Primary Grades Teacher on Working with Families Brief practical tips on strategies teachers can use to engage parents and support student learning Video
    The Recipe for School Improvement by Dr. Karen Mapp Dr. Karen Mapp, Lecturer on Education and Harvard University, talks about the recipe for school improvement. The five ingredients are: School leadership; Professional Capacity; Instructional Guidance; Student center learning climate; Parent and Community Engagement Video
    Boston Public Schools' Parent University Video from Parent University on teaching parents how to engage in their child's school and education. Video
    Coming Soon
    Resource Name Description Type
    new! Family Engagement Tip Sheet (DESE) Family engagement is an intentional, authentic, respectful, and equal partnership between educators and families with the ultimate goal of positive results for children and youth. PDF 
    new! Family Engagement: Collaborating with Families of Students with Disabilities Family engagement is a practice in which educators and families work together to support and improve the learning and development of children. Website
    Half-and-Half Letters A framework for providing an opportunity for families to give input about initiatives and activities the school want to implement Example/ Template
    Developing a Vision for Your Child
    A survey that teachers can use to provide families the opportunity to share knowledge about their child and their goals for the child in school, family and community.    		 Example/ Template
    Letters of Introduction A sample letter teachers can use at the start of the year to welcome parents and students to their classrooms Example/ Template
    Colorin Colorado Colorín Colorado is a free web-based service that provides information, activities and advice for educators and Spanish-speaking families of English language learners (ELLs). There are resources for effective communication strategies, outreach strategies, overcoming language barriers, as well as activities and videos to support engagement of ELL students and families. Website
    Positive Phone Calls Home Sample phone call script that teachers can use to make early welcoming positive calls home Example/ Template
    Relationship Exchange Form A sample form that can be used by teacher to initiate a conversation with families about the family-school relationship. Example/ Template
     The Parent Engagement Toolkit for Teachers
    This toolkit from the Broad Center contains many useful resources for how schools and teachers can increase Parent involvement both inside and outside the classroom.   The guide is divided into two sections, the first for leadership teams and the second for classroom teachers.
     
    		 Resource Guide