Family Engagement: Bridging the Classroom-to-Living Room Divide

The research is clear:   family engagement is critical to the success of our education system–from implementing large-scale reform to improving individual student achievement levels.   Across the board, there is agreement among education leaders and stakeholders that parents and family members are central to the success of a school, a teacher, and a student.   There is less agreement and less clarity around what family engagement is, what family engagement is supposed to look like, and what effective, replicable models of family engagement exist.

YEP-DC, the Flamboyan Foundation, Sen. Michael Bennet and a panel of experts will explore the role of educators, schools, districts, and the federal government in developing, identifying, and scaling up best practices in effectively engaging parents, families, and community members in a child's education.   The event is being held November 2 from 6:00 - 8:30pm at the Russell Senate Office Building, Room 325 (accessible via Union Station Metro).   RSVP online.

Panelists are:

• Kelly Young, Interim Chief, Office of Family and Public Engagement, District of Columbia Public Schools
• Jacque Chevalier-Minow, Senior Education Policy Analyst, National Parent Teacher Association
• Danette Dicks, Kindergarten Teacher, Eagle Academy Public Charter School
• Aquila Watson, D.C. parent
• Moderator: Kristin Ehrgood, President & Board Chair, Flamboyan Foundation

In the District, increasing and improving parent engagement has often been linked to the receipt of public benefits.   Read two analyses done for the District: this on punishing parents and ways to improve engagement.