Family Engagement
When families and schools work together, students succeed. Engaging families in order to create a collaborative partnership between families and schools is at the core of our PTA work. Through family events, programs, advocacy and community outreach, PTAs across the country are building strong communities and creating ties to their school in fun, engaging and innovative ways.
PTA’s role in raising awareness about the importance of family engagement in education and taking action to build connections between school and home is more important than ever!
Raise Awareness, Take Action & Celebrate Your PTA’s Success
National Standards for Family-School Partnerships. Sets the bar and provides a framework for how PTA leaders, parents, educators, community members, and students can work together for the educational success, health and well-being of all children and youth. The Standards have contributed to greater awareness and capacity for improving family-school partnerships across the country and internationally for over 20 years.
Four ‘I’s of Transformative Family Engagement. Amplify your reach with innovative approaches, cutting-edge research, and best practices to help your PTA become more inclusive, individualized, integrated and impactful in its approach to family engagement.
National PTA School of Excellence Program. By enrolling in this program your PTA and school administrators are making a year-long commitment to identify and implement a family engagement action plan for school improvement based on PTA’s National Standards for Family-School Partnerships and the Four ‘I’s of Family Engagement. Upon completion your school may be designated as a School of Excellence denoting that you are leading the nation in your approach to building an inclusive and welcoming school-community.
November is Family Engagement Month! Set aside time to raise awareness and celebrate the important work your PTA is doing to grow family engagement.
National PTA Standards for Family to School Partnerships
Standard 1—Welcoming All Families into the School Community (graphic)
The school treats families as valued partners in their child’s education and facilitates a sense of belonging in the school community
Standard 2—Communicating Effectively (graphic)
The school supports staff to engage in proactive, timely, and two-way communication so that all families can easily understand and contribute to their child’s educational experience.
Standard 3—Supporting Student Success (graphic)
The school builds the capacity of families and educators to continuously collaborate to support students’ academic, social and emotional learning.
Standard 4—Speaking Up for Every Child (graphic)
The school affirms family and student expertise and advocacy so that all students are treated fairly and have access to relationships and opportunities that will support their success.
Standard 5—Sharing Power (graphic)
The school partners with families in decisions that affect children and families and together—and as a team, inform, influence and create policies, practices and programs.
Standard 6—Collaborating with Community (graphic)
The school collaborates with community organizations and members to connect students, families and staff to expanded learning opportunities, community services and civic participation.
FAMILY ENGAGEMENT RESOURCES
- Education Policy – Advocacy
- Model School Board Policy (en español)
- Podcast: How SEA’s use Nat’l Standards
- Transformative Family Engagement
- Transformative E-learning
- Multicultural Reference Tools
- PTSA Resources
FOR ADMINISTRATORS & EDUCATORS
- Reference Guide for Educators (en español)
- Admin Reflection Questions (en español)
- Standards-LGBTQ+ Students (en español)
- Standards-Students with Disabilities
