<40%

of families nationally receive regular, actionable information about what their child is learning

50+

family engagement implementations studied across diverse school contexts over 10 years

ESSA

rated evidence of causal impact on student literacy outcomes

THE PROBLEM

The gap isn't access.
It's alignment.

Despite billions invested in communication tools and outreach, most family engagement operates separately from instruction.

<40%

of families receive regular, actionable information about what their child is learning — despite widespread adoption of communication platforms and family outreach programs.

Messages are sent. Platforms are adopted.
But learning doesn't change.

The problem isn't that schools aren't trying. It's that the systems for family communication and the systems for instruction have never been properly connected.

What's missing is a systematic way to connect:

• Classroom instruction: what students are actually learning
• Family action: clear, specific things families can do at home
• Sustained communication: over time, not just during enrollment

WHAT WE DO

We focus on what makes family
engagement work in practice.

Research-Backed Content

We translate classroom instruction into high-impact, curriculum-aligned experiences for families  grounded in learning science and tested in real schools.

Implementation Infrastructure

We study and support the conditions that determine whether family engagement sustains or not across teachers, leaders, and systems.

Impact Measurement

We generate causal evidence and implementation insights that connect family engagement to student learning outcomes, not just participation rates.

FASTalk is how this
work comes to life.

FASTalk is a research-backed approach to instructional family engagement designed to help schools and partners sustain meaningful communication with families about learning.

​It is not just content.
It is a framework for building the conditions that make family-school communication effective over time.

​FASTalk is delivered through the platforms districts already use to implementation toolkits that field organizations can bring to their own contexts.

SEE HOW FASTALK WORKS

WHAT WE'RE LEARNING FROM THE FIELD

Our impact in numbers.

RESEARCH & INSIGHTS

The "How" of Family Engagement

​Each issue shares research-backed insights from our work with schools and families — focused on what it actually takes to make family engagement effective. Joined by more that 1,200 family engagement practitioners and field leaders.

SUBSCRIBE

WORK WITH FAMILY ENGAGEMENT LAB

Ready to build the conditions for real family engagement?

We partner with platforms, districts, and funders to build the knowledge and infrastructure for instructional family engagement.

SEE HOW FASTALK WORKS

EXPLORE RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS