Federation for Children with Special Needs
Project Title
For project support of the Sustaining Success: Scaling the APPLE Project to expand family engagement efforts in Brockton, MA, RFP Yr 2
Date
Sep. 14, 2023
Duration
12 months
Description
Building trust between schools and families is crucial to improving students’ academic performance in underprivileged areas. However, the historical oppression experienced by many communities means that trust needs to be rebuilt, which is best done from within and with a partner. The Federation for Children with Special Needs (FCSN) has been educating families for 47 years by enabling families to partner effectively with schools and achieve better outcomes for their children. Through their current grant, FCSN partnered with the Brockton Public Schools to pilot the “Advancing Parent Professional Leadership in Education” Institute. The program engaged a diverse group of participants, with 90% identifying as People of Color and approximately one-third having a primary language other than English. With ongoing funding from the Corporation’s RFP on family engagement to support student learning, FCSN will build on the previous year’s achievements, implement the co-designed action plans families and educators developed, and lay the foundation for scalability by developing a playbook for implementing family engagement programs in other districts across Massachusetts. This strategic approach will prepare FCSN for program expansion and enhance its programmatic sustainability.
Project Title
For project support for Developing Culturally Responsive Family Engagement in Brockton
Date
Jun. 09, 2022
Duration
14 months
Description
Listening to and empowering families is essential to improving student outcomes in underserved communities. However, the historical oppression experienced by many communities means that trust needs to be rebuilt and this is best done from within and with a partner. The Federation for Children with Special Needs has been educating families for 47 years. It engages and empowers families and educators to achieve equitable family engagement, enabling families to partner effectively with schools and achieve better outcomes for their children. With the Corporation’s request for proposals for family engagement to support student learning grant opportunity, the Federation for Children with Special Needs aims to strengthen dual capacity and two-way communication between Brockton Public Schools, a district in Massachusetts where 80 percentof students have been identified as “high needs.” As part of this grant, they will provide training, workshops, and coaching focused on dual capacity building, equity, and cultural relevance for families and educators.