Kentucky School Advocate
November 2024
By the Prichard Committee
Kentucky Family and Community Engagement in Education Week Nov. 18 – 22 is a perfect time for school boards to explore how their districts are making meaningful connections with families to support children’s learning and development. The Prichard Committee’s Kentucky Collaborative for Families and Schools – leading experts in family engagement – recommend placing family-school partnerships on the agenda of an upcoming school board meeting. Below are four ways boards can kick off the first of many engagement conversations.
1. Ask your administration about family-school partnership! What are the policies and practices that help your district know that family engagement is high impact to improve student outcomes?
• Is engagement measured in a meaningful way?
• Is it focused on building trusting relationships and prioritizing effective two-way communication?
• Is it linked to learning?
• Are you building the capacity of families and staff to work together effectively?
2. Increase intentional collaboration between board members and families.
• Ensure school board meetings and communications are accessible to all families, taking into account language needs and offering virtual meeting options whenever possible.
• Actively encourage families to review and offer feedback on proposed policies together to assess their potential impact on students and families.
3. Consider developing a district family engagement policy in collaboration with schools and families.
• Make sure the policy incorporates best practices for building relationships and two-way communication with families that is linked to learning.
• Consider Family Friendly School certification as a part of that policy. Learn more at prichardcommittee.org/familyengagement.
• Consider if policies allow educators adequate time and resources to contact families and foster trusting relationships.
4. Save the dates to commemorate family engagement and place them on the school calendar.
• Annual Kentucky Family and Community Engagement in Education Week (Nov. 18-22, 2024 and Nov. 17-21, 2025).
• Commonwealth Institute for Parent Leadership (CIPL) Winter Fellowship: Applications open Nov. 18 and the deadline is Dec. 15. Learn more at prichardcommittee.org/commonwealth-institute-for-parent-leadership.
• Groundswell Summit for Families, Schools and Communities: June 9-10, 2025 in Paducah.
For information about building strong family, school and community partnerships, contact Brooke Gill, VP and Director, Collaborative for Families and Schools for the Prichard Committee, at
[email protected].