Implementation Tools

School-Family-Community Partnerships

Relationship to framework	There are few topics in education on which there is greater agreement than the need for family and community involvement in schools. In order for families and communities to become informed about and involved in children’s education at school and at home, partnerships should be viewed as an essential component.
Purpose	To provide information and direction for the development of school-family-community partnerships.
Outcomes	Schools will be able to: Identify what currently exists. Determine action steps to be taken to develop school-family-community partnerships.
How to use	The tool can be used as general information or as part of the planning process.
When to use	Anytime

Directions:
The following framework defines six types of involvement that can help educators develop more comprehensive programs of school-family-community partnerships.  School practitioners, parent groups, outreach practitioners and community groups should look at the types of involvement and make a list of those that are already in place and those that need to be in place. 

The Six Involvement Types TYPE 1--PARENTING: Assist families with parenting and child-rearing skills, understanding child and adolescent development, and setting home conditions that support children as students at each age and grade level. Assist schools in understanding families. TYPE 2--COMMUNICATING: Communicate with families about school programs and student progress through effective school-to-home and home-to-school communications. TYPE 3--VOLUNTEERING: Improve recruitment, training, work, and schedules to involve families as volunteers and audiences at the school or in other locations to support students and school programs. TYPE 4--LEARNING AT HOME: Involve families with their children in learning activities at home, including homework and other curriculum-linked activities and decisions. TYPE 5--DECISION MAKING: Include families as participants in school decisions, governance, and advocacy through PTA/PTO, school councils, committees, and other parent organizations. TYPE 6--COLLABORATING WITH THE COMMUNITY: Coordinate resources and services for families, students, and the school with businesses, agencies, and other groups, and provide services to the community. SOURCE: Epstein, J. L., Coates, L., Salinas, K. C., Sanders, M. G., & Simon, B. S. (1997). School, family, and community partnerships: Your handbook for action. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Implementation Tools

Glossary

High Expectations

Teacher Self-Reflection

Modeling Expectations

Using Data

Data Checklist (in Assess Section)

Academic Support (in Assess Section)

Social Support (in Assess Section)

Academic Support

Curriculum (in Plan Section)

Student Support (in Plan Section)

Student-Level Planning

School and Outreach Together

School and Outreach Relationships

Students in Outreach Programs

Building College Resource Inventory

Social Support

Peer Networks

Mentoring

P-16 Alignment

Collaborative Partnerships

Integrating Partnerships

School - Family- Community

Higher Ed Partnerships

Get Complete Set of Implementation Tools: Word PDF

[Home] [How to Use] [User's Guides] [Framework] [Tools] [Additonal Info]