Improving Outcomes by Partnering with Families

Research has confirmed that when families and schools effectively work together as partners around students’ education, students, teachers, classrooms, and entire school communities reap benefits. In fact, parental involvement is one of the strongest predictors of student success, transcending socioeconomic status, background, and school setting (Topor et al., 2010).  

When schools build trusting relationships with families and support them in taking an active role in their children’s learning, the impacts are manifold: better attendance and behavior, stronger academic outcomes, improved social-emotional development, and a more positive school climate. 

Why Do School-Family Partnerships Matter? 

The effects of strong partnerships between schools and families are wide-ranging: 

• Academic gains: Family engagement is linked to better grades, higher math and reading achievement, and increased likelihood of high school graduation (Sheldon & Joyce, 2010; Clark, 2007). 
• Social-emotional benefits: Students with engaged families report higher self-esteem, stronger motivation, and more positive attitudes toward school (Al-Alwan, 2014).  
• Better behavior and attendance: Students are more likely to attend school consistently and demonstrate fewer behavioral challenges. 
• Enhanced teaching: Teachers can gain valuable insights into students’ lives and learning needs and can feel like their efforts are backed up at home. This enables more responsive instruction and a more collaborative environment.  
• A stronger school community: Family engagement lifts entire classrooms and schools by fostering a climate of support, safety, and shared purpose. 

The earlier schools begin intentionally cultivating partnerships with families, the stronger and more powerful the impact. 

Family Involvement vs. Engagement: An Important Distinction 

While often used interchangeably, family involvement and family engagement represent different levels of school-family partnership; both are impactful and both can be cultivated. Involvement is an important first step toward engagement—it includes participation in school activities and receiving communication from the school. In contrast, engagement involves a more reciprocal, collaborative relationship. 

Involvement creates the foundation for deeper engagement. Educators can encourage families to involve themselves in activities such as: 

• Attending school events  
• Participating in parent-teacher conferences with flexible scheduling options 
• Volunteering, based on a range of opportunities with varying time commitments 
• Reading with children at home 
• Discussing school at home  

Family engagement describes a deeper level of partnership and involves: 

• Two-way, ongoing communication, with options for multiple communication channels  
• Shared goal setting and decision-making about a student’s learning 
• Removing barriers to ensure all families can participate 

What Can Leaders Do to Strengthen Family Involvement and Engagement? 

School and district leaders play a key role in setting the tone and building systems that make partnership possible. Here are five high-impact strategies: 

1. Foster a welcoming culture of trust, helping all families feel respected and included. 
2. Strengthen communication by providing multiple ways for families to stay informed and provide input (e.g., email, phone calls, school apps, in-person meetings) 
3. Create flexible opportunities for involvement and engagement, including both virtual and in-person options with varying levels of time commitment. 
4. Equip and empower families by sharing practical tools and resources to support learning at home. 
5. Include families in decision-making by inviting families into goal setting, planning, and community conversations. 

When leaders invest in family-school partnerships, they do more than simply boost involvement and engagement—they build stronger schools and open doors to greater opportunity for students.