National PTA and Johns Hopkins University introduce Family Engagement Solutions to boost student outcomes
The National PTA, in partnership with Johns Hopkins University's Center for Research and Reform in Education (CRRE), has launched Family Engagement Solutions, a free online tool designed to help educators, district leaders, and advocates improve family-school partnerships.
The tool offers evidence-based programmes aimed at strengthening family involvement and improving student outcomes.
Family Engagement Solutions is part of National PTA’s Centre for Family Engagement and CRRE's Evidence for ESSA initiative. It allows schools and districts to find and implement family engagement programmes that meet federal standards under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
According to Yvonne Johnson, president of the National PTA, family involvement plays an important role in education.
“Every strategy to accelerate learning should include families as decades of research shows family engagement is just as essential as a rigorous curriculum and effective leaders and teachers,” Johnson said.
"National PTA and the Center for Research and Reform in Education at Johns Hopkins University share a sense of urgency around supporting schools and districts in engaging families in ways that are proven to drive better outcomes for students, families and schools, and we are proud to launch Family Engagement Solutions," they continued.
How Family Engagement Solutions works
The platform helps users identify programmes that align with learning improvement goals and are proven to work in various educational settings. Each programme listed on the platform meets federal standards for at least promising evidence (Tier 3) and has undergone a thorough review process.
These reviews are conducted by:
Family engagement experts who identify best practices in various contexts.
Parent and community leaders who assess the programme's focus on family engagement and its alignment with National Standards for Family-School Partnerships.
Education researchers who review the evidence of each programme’s impact based on ESSA requirements.
"We have heard from school and district leaders that they want ideas for more impactful ways to use their limited budgets on strategies to engage families," said Nathan R. Monell, CAE, National PTA executive director.
Additional support for schools
In addition to providing access to evidence-based programmes, Family Engagement Solutions offers details on how programmes have been implemented, the specific student populations they benefit, and their overall effectiveness. The platform aims to help school districts allocate resources more effectively by offering options that have already demonstrated success.
The development of Family Engagement Solutions was made possible by philanthropic support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the Overdeck Family Foundation.
Monell concluded, "With Family Engagement Solutions, educators now have access to a range of programmes that are supported by research and proven to enhance family-school partnerships, helping to drive better outcomes for students."
