Family engagement plays an essential role in education and student achievement.  In fact, parental and family engagement has been an integral component in Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).  The ESEA explicitly outlines how schools and families should work in tandem to boost the academic success of English Learner (EL) students.  Research demonstrates that partnerships between families, school staff, and teachers, in which all parties involved see themselves as equal partners and have mutual respect for each other, increases student achievement and creates an environment conducive to family and parental engagement.  For that reason, SEDL in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Education drafted the “Dual Capacity-Building Framework for Family-School Partnerships” to support parental involvement.

Here is an overview of the “Dual Capacity-Building Framework for Family-School Partnerships” on how to create family partnerships to support student achievement.

The framework is comprised of five essential supports:

1.     Leadership is seen as the driver for change

2.     Professional capacity

3.     Parent-community ties

4.     Student-centered learning climate

5.     Instructional guidance

The Dual Capacity-Building Framework was created using extensive research on family engagement and the home-school relationship.  The framework creators also took into consideration practices, strategies, leadership development, and learning concepts that lead to effective parental involvement. 

The desired outcomes of the Dual Capacity-Building Framework include:

·      Families taking on multiple roles such as supporters, monitors, decision-makers, collaborators, encouragers, and advocates.

·      Teachers and school staff who honor and recognize families’ knowledge base.

·      Teachers and school staff who make a connection between family/parental engagement and student learning.

·      Teachers and school staff must create a welcoming and culturally sensitive environment.

The Latino Family Literacy Project offers webinars to teach these and other strategies for working with EL families.  Our programs focus on preparing teachers and school staff for working with parents to encourage parental engagement and boost academic success.  In addition to our informative training, we offer an abundance of resources and tips in our blog.