Chart 2: What Does High Impact Family Engagement Look Like in Elementary Schools?
Higher Impact on student learning and development |
Moderate Impact |
Lower Impact |
1. Back to School Night class meetings where parents and teachers:
|
Open House
|
Back to School night in the auditorium
|
2. Regular two-way calls/texts/emails to share progress and tips. |
Positive personal phone calls home |
Robocalls about school events |
3. Family center, staffed, with workshops on learning strategies, referrals to social services, and informal gatherings. |
Parent resource room with toys, games and books to borrow |
School newsletters with generic messages |
4. Relationship-building home visits by teachers, voluntary for both teachers and families and available for all families. |
Coffee with the principal; Muffins for Moms; Donuts with Dads |
Potlucks, other traditional whole-school-based events |
5. Story quilting workshops and poetry slams where parents, teachers and students all tell their stories, share their work. |
School book club and authors’ tea featuring student writers |
Student performances |
6. Classroom observations with mini-lessons; weekly data-sharing folders go home, with space for parent comments. |
Interactive homework with tips for home learning |
Curriculum nights |
7. Student-led conferences with portfolios of student work, followed by 1:1 conversations about learning, to set goals. |
Parent-teacher conferences twice a year, available evenings and weekend |
Parent-teacher conferences, during work day |
8. Tours of school led by students and community walks led by parents and custodians. |
Monthly breakfasts for new families |
Visit school by appointment |
9. School council has voice in all major decisions; develops and supports parent-initiated projects. |
Parent organization meets with principal to discuss suggestions |
Suggestion box in office |
10. Candidate forum at Fun Fair; parents and students meet in advance, prepare to ask questions regarding issues affecting families. |
Candidates for election invited to Fun Fair |
Fall Fun Fair |
11. Parent leadership classes strengthen family capacity to navigate the system, be effective advocates, and take part in school councils and committees. |
Adult learning evenings |
Parenting classes |