This document discusses building systemic family and community engagement in the Boston Public Schools. It begins with an overview of reforming engagement versus transforming it to indicate a paradigm shift. Engaging families is important because it positively impacts student achievement. Effective engagement is shared, continuous, and occurs across multiple learning settings. The document then discusses transforming engagement at the district and school levels through defining a shared vision and structures to support the work. It provides examples of Boston's efforts to organize engagement work through standards, policies, and tools like family learning guides and a multi-tiered system of supports. It emphasizes that student achievement is the goal and engagement must be district-wide with collaborative structures that reduce inequities.

1. Michele P. Brooks Assistant SuperintendentOffice of Family & Student EngagementBoston Public SchoolsBuilding Systemic Engagement

2. OverviewReform or Transform?Why Engage Families and Communities?Transforming EngagementLeadership Matters

3. IntroductionsWho is in the room?

4. Reform or TransformWhat is the difference?Reform indicates a fix Transform indicates a shift

5. Why Engage Families?What is the core enterprise of school districts and schools?

6. Why Engage Families?Instructional Core – Dr. Richard Elmore, HGSEStudentInfluencing Factors:~Family/Home Culture~Community Culture~School CultureTeacherContent

7. Why Engage Families & Communities?5 Essential SupportsLeadershipParent-Community TiesProfessional CapacityStudent-centered learning climateInstructional Guidance

8. Why Engage Families?The impact of school, family and community connections on student achievementwww.sedl.org/connections

9. Why Engage Families?When parents and school staff work together to support learning, students:Earn higher grades and test scoresEnroll in higher level programsAre promoted more and earn more credits

10. Why Engage Families?When parents and school staff work together to support learning, students:Adapt better to school and attend more regularlyHave better social skills and behaviorGraduate and go on to higher educationA New Wave of Evidence – Key Findings

11. Why Engage Families & Communities?What does effective engagement look like?

12. Why Engage Families & Communities?Family engagement in student learning…Is a shared responsibility. Is continuous across a child’s life.Occurs in multiple settings in which children learn.National Working Group for Family and Community Engagement

13. Family Engagement: Reframing the Work

14. Transforming EngagementRequires a paradigm shiftFrom seeing families/communities as a part of the problem to seeing them as a part of the solution.From seeing families/communities as by-standers to seeing them as c0-producers.From seeing families/communities as passive participants or adversaries to seeing them as partners.

15. Transforming EngagementDistrict-Level ContextLeadership Matters – A commitment to family/community engagement that is clearly articulated and supported at the highest levelsShared Vision – A collective vision for what success looks likeStructures and Resources – Alignment of structures, staffing and resources to support the work

16. Transforming EngagementDefining the WorkVision, Core Values/Beliefs & GoalsOrganizing the WorkStandards, Expectations & OutcomesFacilitating the WorkTools, Strategies & Evaluating for Continuous Improvement

17. BPS Context: Defining the WorkBPS Vision for Family & Student Engagement“Every school will welcome every family and every student, actively engaging them as partners in student learning and school improvement”

18. BPS Context: Defining the WorkCORE BELIEFSThe Boston Public Schools is committed to the authentic engagement of families/parents and students that reflects the following core values;Every parent* has dreams for their children and want the best for them

19. Every parent* has the capacity to support their children’s learning

20. Parents and school staff should be equal partners in the education of children

21. The primary responsibility for building partnerships between home and school rests primarily with school leaders and staff *regardless to race, class, culture, socioeconomic status, language limitations, sexual orientation or disability Adapted from “Beyond the Bake Sale”, Henderson, Mapp, Johnson and Davies, 2006.

22. BPS Context: Defining the WorkCORE BELIEFSEvery student* wants to excel and achieve – it is the role of the adults to listen, engage, support and encourage them in ways that impact their achievement

23. When students are at the center of the decision-making process they are more engaged and take “ownership” of their education; enhancing school climate, improving student/adult relationships and increasing overall student achievement *regardless to race, class, culture, socioeconomic status, language limitations, sexual orientation or disability

24. BPS Context: Defining the WorkDefining the Work:CAPACITY BUILDINGof Schoolsof Familiesof Studentsof Communitiesof The District

25. Boston Context: Organizing the WorkEstablishing StandardsProvide a guide for establishing authentic family and student engagement in schools

26. Provide a guide for the district for aligning professional development and support

27. Provide measures for accountability

28. Provides clear engagement opportunities for families, students and the community Boston Context: Organizing the Work

29. Boston Context: Organizing the WorkPolicy ImplicationsBPS Acceleration AgendaStrategy #3 – Deepening partnerships with families, students and community.Title 1: Section 118 Parental InvolvementSeven Essentials of Whole School ImprovementEssential 6: Partner with families and community to support student learning and engagement.Dimensions of Effective Teaching and PrincipalshipBoth include: Partnerships with Families and CommunityBPS Achievement Gap PolicyPartnerships in Family and Community Engagement

32. Boston Context: Facilitating the WorkHigh Impact Strategies that link Engagement to Student LearningThe strategy focuses on a specific group of students (such as all 1stgrade students or students struggling with a specific math concept)It is organized around a specific learning task (such as learning 100 high frequency words)It has a home learning activity that engages parents to help students with the learning task (such as flash cards or a game)There is two-way communication between parent and teacher regarding student progress with the learning task and celebrating success

33. Facilitating the Work: Tools of EngagementTool kit includes:

34. Description of the strategy

35. Connection to the research

36. Alignment to Academic targets

37. Implementation plan (structured for WSIP)

38. Electronic copies of all materials needed

39. List of resources for implementationHigh Impact Strategiesfor linking Family Engagement to Learning

40. Facilitating the Work: Tools of EngagementFamily Learning GuidesLearning Goals for each grade based on the BPS standards; Math, ELA, Science & Social StudiesTips for talking with your childTips about talking with teachers

41. Facilitating the Work: Tools of EngagementMulti-Tiered System of SupportsFocused differentiated instructional strategies and supportBased on BPS Academic Achievement FrameworkOFSE adapted the model to create a framework for supporting the engagement work in schools

42. Family Friendly SchoolsCertification and Engagement AwardSchools with engagement practice that meets the designations of “progressing” or “excelling” based on the Standards Assessment ToolGrounded in the BPS Family & Student Engagement Standards and existing BPS best practice

43. Parents Are Powerful!Preparing Parents to become Powerful Partners for Student Learning and School Improvement

44. PARENT UNIVERSITYParents Are TeachersChild DevelopmentParenting StrategiesSupporting Learning from Birth to FiveParents Are AdvocatesNavigating the BPSLearning StandardsAdvocating for Children with Disabilities and English Language LearnersParents Are LeadersLeadership SkillsSchool Parent Council/ School Site CouncilOrganizing SkillsParents Are LearnersAreas requested by parentsNutritionMoney Management

45. PARENT UNIVERSITYFormat3 full day Saturday Learning Sessions (October, January & May)Intersession offerings at schools and community based organizationsYear-long ESL classesStrand of classes in Spanish, Haitian Creole and Chinese

46. PARENT UNIVERSITYIndicators of SuccessQualitativeParents report positive behavioral changesParents report increased engagement their child’s learning at homeParents report increased engagement with school and teachersParents report more confidence in advocating for their childSchools report increased engagementQuantitative# parents attending# parents attending more than once# parents completing 5+ PUPs# parents completing 10 + PUPs# non-English speaking parents# schools representedIndicators of Success

47. PARENT UNIVERSITY1500 Parent University Participants 2010-11153 parents completing 10 + PUPs60% non-English speaking parents94 schools represented

48. PARENT UNIVERSITY : THE DATA95.6% of participants ranked their experience as Good or Excellent89% say that they are better able to help their children with homework94% say they have a better understanding of what their child should be learning72% say they communicate more with their child’s school or teacher as a result of Parent University98% say they have been able to use what they learned in Parent University

50. ConclusionStudent Achievement is the goal of any engagement effort and it must be a district wide endeavorStructures must promote collaboration and connections in ways that impact the work from the executive level down into the classroomThere must be an awareness and an intentionality to reduce the impact the role that privilege, race and class have in the level of engagement of families and the practice of educatorsFamilies and community must be viewed as an asset; respected and valued as partners in student success

51. ConclusionOur practice must reflect our beliefs and the leader is the role model.Engagement of families must become more than what we do … It must be part of who we are