implementing effective family engagement strategies
DESCRIPTION
Have you or your colleagues grappled with the most effective ways to engage parents in the education of their students? Do you feel like your strategies have little impact? The primary goal of Families United in Educational Leadership (FUEL) is to involve families in the process of helping their student’s access higher education. This workshop will outline FUEL’s program model, explain the strategies used to engage families, and guide workshop participants through the process of determining how to most effectively reach families in their own communities. Through revealing the successes and challenges of implementing this program at nine schools and community organizations, workshop participants will leave this session with a set of steps to implement in their own contexts to encourage and incentivize family engagement.TRANSCRIPT
Implementing Effective Family Engagement
Strategies
Kaitlin LeMoineDirector of Programming
Families United in Educational Leadership (FUEL)
NATIONAL PARTNERSHIP FOR EDUCATIONAL ACCESSANNUAL CONFERENCE
APRIL 19, 2012
Image taken from: http://www.mbexec.net/executive-network/blogs/tctyrell-smith/finding-your-true-career-path-the-tootsie-pop-method
WORKSHOP ROADMAP Present workshop objectives
Warm-up to get us going! Overview of FUEL and our Program Model Building a Family Engagement Program – Implementing lessons into your own contextPartner Consultation & Sharing Best PracticesConclusions & Feedback
WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES1.) Share the key components of the FUEL Program
2.) Identify effective and ineffective engagement strategies learned through the implementation of FUEL3.) Identify and plan to apply transferable family engagement techniques to programs at your own sites
WARM-UP
Stand Up Sit Down
ORIENTING YOURSELF…
If implementing a NEW program If improving an existing programIf wondering if there is just an easier way to do this family engagement stuff…
OBJECTIVE 1
Share the key components of the FUEL Program
WHAT IS FUEL?FUEL believes that higher education is attainable for all, regardless of income, and that family is crucial to students’ educational achievement. Working with community partners, FUEL provides knowledge, resources, connections, and financial incentives that empower parents to propel their children into higher education.
WHY OUR MISSION?
“…the key to furthering students’ academic success is to “provide information to increase families’ knowledge of the college-going process.”
“…students with involved parents, regardless of their family income or background, are more likely to earn higher grades and test scores, enroll in higher level classes, attend school and pass their classes, develop better social skills, graduate from high school, attend college, and find productive work. The opposite is true for students whose parents are less engaged”
Stoutland, Sara E., How Students are Making it: Perspectives on Getting through College from Recent Graduates of the Boston Public Schools, The Boston Foundation, June 2011.
Balfanz, Robert, Bridgeland, John M., Moore, Laura A., Fox, Joanna Hornig. Building a Grad Nation: Progress and Challenge in Ending the High School Dropout Epidemic. Johns Hopkins University, America’s Promise Alliance. November 2010. p. 52
OUR PROGRAM MODELFUEL
Community PartnerParents
OUR PARTNERS
After-school programs48%Public school systems36%
Charterschools16%
Types of Partnership
66% of partners work with exclusively high school-aged students
OUR PARTNERS
9 Sites in Boston, Lynn & Chelsea, MassachusettsMassachusetts Map Image taken from: http://www.digital-topo-maps.com/county-map/massachusetts.shtml
WHO WE WORK WITH
Our Families
Hispanic54%African-American28%
Asian7%Other5%
Caucasian3% Multi-Racial3%
$30,000 or under44%$30,000 to $50,00031%
More than $50,00025%
73% of FUEL parents report having earned less than a bachelors degree.
Family Demographics Household Income
PROGRAM CRITERIA
A Successful FUEL Parent
Attend at least 6 Savings Circle Workshops per year
Open Savings Account and make monthly deposits to receive match! Encourage child’s participation in after-school program
OBJECTIVE 2
Identify effective and ineffective engagement strategies learned through the implementation of FUEL
OUR CHELSEA STORY• Immigrant community
• 82% first language not English • 89% of students on free/reduced lunch• 55% high school graduation ratePartnered with:Chelsea Education Foundation
Image taken from: http://www.city-data.com/picfiles/pic31.php
Chelsea Data taken from - Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Massachusetts School and District Profiles, Chelsea High 2009-2010. http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/profiles/student.aspx?orgcode=00570505&orgtypecode=6&leftNavId=305&&fycode=2010Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Massachusetts School and District Profiles, Chelsea High 2009-2010. Cohort 2010 Graduation Rates. http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/grad/grad_report.aspx?orgcode=00570505&orgtypecode=6&&fycode=2010
OUR CHELSEA STORYIn the beginning…
• Model: High School-wide• Start Date: January 2010• Enrolled: 70 families• Staff: 1 part time staff person• Program components:
– Savings Goal: $1500 with match– Attendance Requirement: 6 meetings per year
• Workshop content/facilitation: Community-driven• Workshop Location: various Chelsea meeting spaces
OUR CHELSEA STORY
PRELIMINARY RESULTS
OUR CHELSEA STORY
THE NEED FOR CHANGEGoal #1 Improve Savings Circle Workshop Attendance
Goal #2Improve Savings Rates
Alignment with mission/ beliefs
Strengthen/build upon current system
Incorporate the stated interests/ desires of parents and partners
Maximize existing community resources
STEPS FOR CHANGEApril 2011
May 2011 Aug. 2011Sept. 2011Nov. 2011Dec. 2011
• First morning Savings Circle• Implementation of Alert Now call system• Closed at least 30 zero balance accounts • First hot meals• Full time staff member• Implement FUEL Family Statement• Regular meeting time: 2nd Thursday each month• Raffles and scholarships to incentivize attendance• Decrease of saving rate & update family contact info• FUEL Compacts announced• Implement FUEL Savings Circle curriculum• Bilingual sessions start & consistent meeting location• Winter Giveaway
OUR RESULTS!!
11/1/2010-3/31/2011 (140 familes) 4/1/2011-10/31/2011 (167 families) 11/1/2011-3/31/2012 (113 families)Percentage of families saving on track
0.671428571428575 0.497005988023953 0.734513274336283Percentage of families at-tending on track
0.442857142857144 0.227544910179641 0.796460176991151
5%15%25%35%45%55%65%75%85%
Percenta
ge of fam
ilies on tr
ack
Percentage of families saving on trackPercentage of families attending on track
73%
80%
WHAT PROMPTED CHANGE?Structures
Consistent Meeting Location Two Meeting Time Options Consistent Meeting Times/Dates Use of 24 session curriculum (planned in advance) Consistent Facilitator Bilingual Facilitation Full Time Staff Member Hot meals for parents and family members
WHAT PROMPTED CHANGE?SystemsNon-Monetary
Auto-call system with personalized message Monthly Newsletters Efforts to Outcomes Data Tracking Methods Development of Family Statement Sticking to the Contract Create opportunities to learn from familiesMonetary Attendance Incentives Good Standing Incentives FUEL Compacts Lower Saving Rates
BEST PRACTICES FROM OUR PARTNER
SITES!!Use family input to shape meeting content
Facilitators and parents should share their own experiences
Offer more meetings than families must attendMonthly reminders
about savings & attendance
rates
Offer brainstorming and collaborative sessions to highlight existing knowledge
Ask past participants to return and share their perspectives
Link student experiences to parent workshopsUse multiple communication channels to reach families
STEPS FOR CHANGE
PARTNER CONSULTATIONPair up with someone from a different organization than the one you are fromStep 1 – Partner 1, present your preliminary planStep 2 – Partner 2, ask clarifying questions
• What is clear? What remains unclear/undefined?• Avoid comments at this point, questions only!Step 3 – Partner 2, provide Partner 1 with ideas• How can they implement new structures/systems to support their existing programming? • If the program is new, is it aligned with mission and family engagement goals?Step 4 – Open Discussion between partners• Next Steps for Partner 1?
Image taken from: http://www.ethannonsequitur.com/success-what-people-think-it-looks-like-really.html