Strategies and Resources to Support Effective Family Engagement

A six-month learning series hosted by the U.S. Department of Education aims to bridge the gap between home and school and support the success of family engagement practices

By Carnegie Corporation of New York August 10, 2023

Family & Community Engagement

A parent and child hug on the first day of school at Harriet Tubman Elementary School in Gaithersburg, Maryland, on August 29, 2022. (Credit: Robb Hill for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

The U.S. Department of Education, in partnership with Carnegie Corporation of New York and Overdeck Family Foundation, hosted a six-month webinar series designed to boost family engagement practices. The conversations brought together education leaders and practitioners from across the United States to share resources and evidence-based strategies that bridge the gap between home and school.

The series began with remarks by U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, followed by Dame Louise Richardson, president of the Corporation. Richardson discussed the foundation’s longstanding support for family engagement, grounded in the belief that “when families are empowered as true partners in their children’s education, students thrive, schools are stronger, and the whole community benefits.” Laura Overdeck, cofounder and chair of Overdeck Family Foundation, stressed the importance of investing in engaging caregivers.

FAMILY ENGAGEMENT WEBINAR SERIES

To Support Student Success
To Support Student Engagement and Attendance
To Support Immigrant and Multilingual Families
To Support Student Mental Health and Well-Being
To Support Kindergarten Readiness and Early School Success
To Support College and Career Pathway Success

How Family Engagement Can Support Student Success

This webinar on supporting student success, which took place on February 28, 2023, was moderated by Karen Mapp, senior lecturer on education at Harvard Graduate School of Education. Mapp, along with Eyal Bergman, authored a report commissioned by the Corporation in 2021, Embracing a New Normal: Toward a More Liberatory Approach to Family Engagement, which explored the dynamics and barriers that interfere with family-school partnerships.

Featured speakers included Alejandro Gibes de Gac, founder and CEO of the Springboard Collaborative; Elisabeth O'Bryon, cofounder and chief impact officer of the Family Engagement Lab; Carlen Powell, administrator of elementary instruction at the Los Angeles Unified School District; Willa Smith, coordinator of student learning of the DeSoto Parish School Board; and Vidya Sundaram, co-founder and CEO of the Family Engagement Lab.

How Family Engagement Can Improve Student Engagement and Attendance

This webinar on student engagement and attendance, which took place on March 28, 2023, featured an introduction by Stephanie Sharp of Overdeck Foundation and was moderated by Hedy Chang, founder and executive director of Attendance Works. Experts in the field shared the latest research and on-the-ground lessons for how family engagement has helped their states, districts, and schools measurably boost attendance and student engagement.

Featured speakers included Kari Sullivan Custer, attendance lead at the Connecticut State Department of Education; Susan Fergusson, assistant superintendent of schools at Torrington Public Schools; Gina Martinez-Keddy, executive director of the Parent Teacher Home Visits; Kate Pechacek, national head of impact strategy at TalkingPoints; Todd Rogers, professor of public policy at Harvard Kennedy School; and Merecedes Williams, director of communications and stakeholder engagement at Pittsburgh Public Schools.

How Family Engagement Strategies Support Immigrant and Multilingual Families

This webinar on supporting immigrant and multilingual families, which took place on April 25, 2023, convened experts for a discussion about the role of family engagement in building culturally affirming and welcoming school communities. Ambika Kapur, program director in the Education program, highlighted the Corporation's latest report Becoming an Ally: Partnering with Immigrant Families to Promote Student Success authored by Stephany Cuevas, assistant professor of education at Attallah College of Educational Studies, who also moderated the webinar.

Featured speakers included Manuel Burciaga, executive director of secondary instruction at the Rialto Unified School District; Tammie Castillo-Shiffer, family and community engagement coordinator at the Santa Maria-Bonita School District; Gloria Corral, president and CEO of the Parent Institute for Quality Education; Veronica Crespin-Palmer, co-founder and lead executive officer of RISE Colorado; Crystal Gonzales, executive director of the English Learners Success Forum; Angélica Infante-Green, commissioner of elementary and secondary education at the Rhode Island Department of Education; and Jessica O'Muireadhaigh, director of mental health and counseling at Aurora Public Schools.

How Family Engagement Can Support Student Mental Health and Well-Being

This webinar on supporting mental health and well-being on May 23, 2023, occurred during Mental Health Awareness Month. The Corporation’s Saskia Levy Thompson, program director in the Education program, moderated the discussion, which focused on insights and resources for incorporating effective family engagement practices into student mental health and well-being initiatives.

Featured speakers included Eisha Buch, director of education programs and development at Common Sense Media; Pamela Cantor, founder and senior science advisor at Turnaround for Children; Jennifer Charlot, partner at Transcend Education; Maftuna Khaydarova, student leader at PeerForward; Gary Z. Linnen, CEO of PeerForward; Katy Neas, deputy assistant secretary at the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services of the U.S. Department of Education; Laura Ogando, deputy technology director of the New York City Department of Education; Cynthia Robinson-Rivers, Transcend Education partner and founding principal of Van Ness Elementary School; and Emily Weinstein, principal investigator at Project Zero, Harvard Graduate School of Education.

How Family Engagement Supports Kindergarten Readiness and Early School Success

This webinar on supporting kindergarten readiness and early school success took place on June 27, 2023. Experts discussed the ways kindergarten functions as a bridge between the early years and early grades — and the role of family engagement in improving kindergarten readiness and early school success across different states, districts, and communities. The conversation was moderated by Yolie Flores, president and CEO of Families In Schools.

Featured speakers included David Cintron, District 14 superintendent for the NYC Department of Education; Rebecca Crouse Kelley, executive vice president of advocacy at Waterford.org; Shawn Foster, superintendent of Orangeburg County School District; Kai-ama Hamer, director of ParentCorps; Priscilla Hopkins, executive director of Denver Public Schools; and Deborah Leong, co-founder and president of Tools of the Mind.

How Family Engagement Supports College and Career Pathway Success

This webinar on supporting college and career pathway success took place on July 25, 2023. The audience heard from education leaders and practitioners who shared how family engagement is supporting young people to navigate educational options after high school and unlock career opportunities, including the importance of bringing education and workforce systems together to support students and families in achieving college and career success. Farhad Asghar, program officer in the Corporation’s Education program, moderated the discussion.

Featured speakers included David Park, senior vice presiden of strategy and communications at Learning Heroes; Jon Roure, executive vice president and chief innovation officer of the Student Leadership Network; Devon Eisenberg, principal of the Young Women's Leadership School of the Bronx; Jose Enriquez, founder and CEO of Latinos in Action; Angela Puertas, family engagement specialist at Latinos in Action; Heather Justice, director of career readiness at the Education Strategy Group; and Marsha Inniss-Mitchell, executive director of postsecondary initiatives at Boston Public Schools.

Check out the Corporation’s latest report on family engagement Becoming an Ally: Partnering with Immigrant Families to Promote Student Success.