What the Research Says

Families are children's first teachers and have a powerful effect on early development. Research has identified multiple benefits from family involvement in children's education and indicates that this involvement has a greater impact if it begins early. In fact, a study of Georgia's pre-k program found that children whose parents were actively involved in the program scored higher on all assessments. In addition to directly affecting a child's learning, family engagement demonstrates to children the value of their parent's role in their education, building a sense of collaboration in the educational process that can endure throughout a child's schooling.

Family involvement should be viewed as a partnership, where programs strive to create an inviting environment for parents who, in turn, participate in diverse ways. Programs and teachers should consider factors such as time, transportation, language proficiency, cultural customs and attitudes, fear or distrust of government systems, awareness of their legal rights, and prior experiences with education programs when developing family engagement strategies. By recognizing, respecting, and accommodating the range of family backgrounds, arrangements, and circumstances, engagement can offer benefits to parents and family members as well as to children. It can provide opportunities to connect with other parents, encourage parents to further their own educations, and improve parent's sense of self-worth. Family involvement is most relevant when it is flexible, sensitive, and inclusive.

Recommendations

• Develop a plan - Programs should describe in writing how they will partner with families throughout the year. Consider how to orient new families, handle ongoing communication, and meet cultural and linguistic needs. This will allow you to include adequate funding for family engagement in the program budget.
• Create a parent advisory committee - Offer families the opportunity to make decisions about and help establish goals for both the program and their children. Make sure the group is representative of the children/families in the program and encourage voicing of opinions, concerns and participation.
• Create a directory - Parents will know how to reach school officials, other parents, and community resources. Make translated copies available to non-English speaking parents.
• Advertise your program - Send flyers and letters to program families. Work with local newspapers and radio stations to promote your program and the importance of early education. Ask local churches or cultural centers that parents attend to announce and market the program and events as well. Be sure all materials accommodate non-English speaking parents.
• Offer training for both teachers and parents - Educate both groups on effective parent-teacher conferencing and constructive feedback. Educate parents about their role in children's development and learning. Organize seminars and workshops on topics requested by parents. Educate parents about the importance of the home language to success in learning English.
• Recruit and retain appropriate staff. Offer professional development workshops for teachers on diversity-related topics and on how to foster a family-centered program. Make an effort to recruit a culturally and linguistically diverse staff.
• Open your program. Invite families and community leaders to visit the program and to observe classrooms and visit with teachers, staff, and other parents. Provide opportunities for parents to meet with school district officials and learn about the school system.
• Conduct home visits. Encourage families to carry learning into the home. Offer lending libraries, share books and blocks, and other learning materials.
• Choose an individual to serve as a community liaison. Identify a staff member, volunteer, or parent who is familiar with the language and culture of the student population and can help develop relationships with parents and families to encourage participation in the program.
• Create Spaces - Have a designated space and time when parents may address and discuss issues in an informal, multilingual setting. Set aside time for parents to spend with their children. Invite parents to share their talents with the children by leading special activities such as cooking, art, dance, music, or sports.
• Conduct an annual evaluation of your parent-involvement initiative. Seek parent and teacher feedback on your parent- and community-involvement efforts. Return to the written plan to determine if you met all the family engagement goals. Revise as needed.

There are also small steps you can take to engage families and make sure they know how much their voice matters. Keep voter registration forms in the school office as well as information about other important social services. Use your program newsletters and mailings to announce community hearings, share new research related to early education, or invite families to a local event or recreational gathering. Most importantly, remember that the early years are not just the best time to reach children; they're also the best time to actively engage parents and family members.