We believe that family and community engagement is based on the premise that caregivers, educators, and community members share responsibility for the academic and socioemotional development of a student. This partnership is fostered through a deliberate process that is relational (built on mutual trust), asset-based (focused on the unique strengths of each person), and grounded in learning outcomes.

It also benefits educators in a lot of ways. Research consistently indicates that family-teacher partnerships result in better classroom management, increased student engagement, and higher test scores overall. Check out our “Further Reading” section for more information!

It’s not that different from getting to know your neighbors at home! Generally, we recommend practices that prioritize communication and mutual understanding – the building blocks of any functional relationship. Here’s a few strategies to consider:

Welcome Outreach: The Office of Family & Community Engagement strongly encourages teachers to conduct welcome outreach in the beginning of the academic year. This starts an ongoing dialogue with families that will build towards a relational partnership and deeper understanding of the school community. Oftentimes, we find that this initial outreach leads to information about a student that we wouldn’t have known otherwise!
Generally, we recommend two forms of welcome outreach: phone calls (or texts) and letters of introduction. See our guide for templates and ideas for each, along with examples from the field.

Positive Calls/Texts Home: It doesn’t have to be a whole ordeal. If Sahmeer has a great day in your class, shoot a quick text to his family: “Hey Mom, Sahmeer had a great day in class today. He was answering questions and helping his classmates! Just wanted to let you know.” If you want to build an authentic relationship with your families, it’s so important to tell them when things are going well. It shows that you both want the best for their child and care about their achievements.

Community Walks: Whether you’re alone or with other teachers, make time to walk around the neighborhood; this will allow you to really learn about the community (and families) that you serve. Visit the local community spaces: library branches, basketball courts, parks. Talk to the people you see. Order a cup of coffee at the corner store. This will give you valuable insight about the daily lives of your families – which can then inform your classroom instruction and communications – while also showing respect for their lived experiences.

It can feel daunting to make connections with people who seem different from you. Thankfully, there are practical strategies that teachers can use to find common ground with their school’s families:

Host a Parent Cafe: These provide a comfortable space for adults to engage in guided conversations around questions such as “How do you practice self-care?” or “When is the last time you felt valued?”. Through this dialogue, families and teachers build understanding, empathy, and connection. Read more about Parent Cafes here.

Participate in Community Events: Immerse yourself in your families’ world by attending events in their neighborhood. Whether it’s chess club at the local library or a bake sale at the nearby place of worship, involving yourself in the community will help you connect with its residents – and give you something to talk about!

There are translation and interpretation services available to District teachers! Our Bilingual Counseling Assistants (BCAs) speak over twenty-three languages and dialects, serving as key cultural and linguistic bridges in our schools. They can provide simultaneous translation for in-person meetings or translate documents to be sent home. Find your school-based BCA here in mid-August.

If you’d like to speak on the phone with a multilingual caregiver, check out Language Line. This free service will pair you with an interpreter to conduct a three-way call.

We understand the importance of feeling safe in the community and offer two ideas:

Participate in FACE Events: Our Office hosts programming a few times a month that’s open to families, teachers, and other members of the community. Some of them are virtual; this could help you connect with others from the comfort of your home.

Leverage Community Spaces: It might be helpful to find your neighborhood’s “third place” – in other words, a local spot (outside home and work/school) where people spend time. This might be a library branch, gym, place of worship, basketball court, sandwich shop, or corner store. Try spending time there for twenty minutes and introduce yourself to one person; tell them you’re a teacher at the school nearby! Put yourself out there slowly and incrementally.

It is definitely frustrating when event turn-out is lower than we expect – but addressing this issue through an equity lens can help us identify the root of the problem. Consider these questions with your planning team:

• How did you take families’ work schedules and time commitments into account? If many of your families work a 9-5, having an event at 4:00PM will be challenging. There are a few schools in the District that plan things in the early morning (prior to morning entry) or later in the evening. We recommend asking your families about their time commitments in the beginning of the school year – perhaps in a survey.
• If this event is during a common meal time, are you providing food? This can be a strong attendance incentive. Ask your school leader about paying for catering with Title 1 funds.
• What measures have you taken to ensure language accessibility? Did you advertise the event in multiple languages? Have you arranged for a translator or (if your school has one) spoken with a Bilingual Counseling Assistant?
• How are families traveling to this event? What transportation barriers might exist? Ask your Family Liaison about getting pre-paid Septa key cards from our Office.
• Can families bring their small children to this event? If so, do they know this? Not everyone will assume that their toddlers are welcome.
• Did families ask for this event? Sometimes, a school activity might seem great from an educator’s perspective but is unappealing from our families’ point of  view. It’s important to ask them about their needs and interests. This is key to building relational family-school partnerships.

Overall, we find that the best-attended school events are ones that involve families in the decision-making process; it is the easiest way to ensure that your planning is responsive and equitable. Consider speaking with your School Advisory Council (SAC), sending out a survey, or just texting your families for some quick feedback.

There are certainly legal components to this work!

• Section 1116 of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires Local Education Agencies (LEAs) receiving Title 1 funds to provide opportunities for “meaningful” family engagement throughout the year.
• ESSA includes the “Right to Know” federal law, as well. This focuses on communication between families and schools. It ensures that families have access to pertinent information about their student’s education: instructional content, progress reporting, teacher qualifications, and more!
• When it comes to components specific to the School District of Philadelphia, SDP Policy 918 defines family engagement and describes the District’s pathway for adhering to Section 1116 of ESSA. It supports the implementation of Family Liaisons, Bilingual Counseling Assistants, and School Advisory Councils – in addition to school-wide and District-wide family engagement events (like Family Math Night or a FACE workshop).
• Also, Priority Area 2 of Accelerate Philly calls on schools to strengthen their partnerships with families and the community. This is echoed in Guardrail 3 of the Board of Education’s Goals and Guardrails and Domain 4C in the Danielson Framework for teacher evaluation.