HOME WORKS! was recently featured in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, highlighting how family engagement is driving real change in schools at a time when leaders are searching for answers. With policy shifts and funding changes creating uncertainty, schools need strategies that foster resilience and stability by bringing everyone in the school community to the table. The pandemic made that clearer than ever. Yet, despite overwhelming evidence, family-school partnerships remain overlooked in too many education policies and initiatives. This article explores why family engagement is a critical piece of the puzzle right now. If you’re looking for solutions that work, this is a must-read.
Schools that invest in family engagement see:
- Higher reading and math achievement
- Better attendance and lower dropout rates
- Improved classroom behavior and social-emotional growth
- Stronger school communities that can better navigate challenges together
- Greater teacher satisfaction and retention (Source)
And even with the decades of research behind it, real, evidence-based family engagement is still absent from too many education solutions. Schools invest heavily in tutoring and curriculum shifts, but without active family involvement, these interventions often fall short. Recently published research found that 87% of teachers believe stronger family support has the biggest impact on student achievement — more than any curriculum or intervention.
The reality is that effective, schoolwide family engagement is difficult to build — especially for under-resourced schools with limited capacity. These schools need structured, coordinated approaches to fully integrate families as co-educators, but they can’t do it alone.
That’s why in 2025, we’re laying the groundwork for expanding our reach and deepening partnerships to ensure more schools have the tools and support to make family engagement a core strategy for student success. Read more about our 2025 vision.
Together, we can ensure more schools have access to the support they need in this moment of change.
Contact us today to set up a meeting:
- Ed Dickinson, Interim CEO and Board Chair: [email protected]
- Katrina Brown, Director of Program Operations: [email protected]
- Kathryn Brayton, Director of Development: [email protected]
