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School leaders at Morris Jeff Community School recognized an opportunity to leverage innovative technology to engage families to support early literacy development. Recognizing an opportunity to meet families where they areSchool closures in 2020 prompted a lot of creative thinking around classroom instruction and extending learning outside of the classroom. Many families found themselves playing a more active role in their child’s learning. Leaders at Morris Jeff Community School were determined to meet families where they were (at home!) to equip them with learning-focused tips and activities that families could use to engage with their child around learning. Fast forward to 2024, teachers and families at Morris Jeff Community School continue to partner to support early literacy. So, what family engagement solution did they find?Lisa Sirgo, Elementary Principal at Morris Jeff Community School, attended a webinar where she learned about Family Engagement Lab’s signature tool FASTalk. A few things stood out;
After four years of partnership, Lisa has shared that FASTalk is a “Great way to get families involved in literacy and share what is developmentally appropriate. It takes something off of teachers' plates to engage with families, especially the ones that are hungry for activities to support students at home.” FASTalk at a GlanceFamily Engagement Lab believes that essential learning happens at the intersection of high-quality instruction and opportunities for creating real world connections. Families are a key, but often under leveraged, stakeholder in helping children make meaning of the concepts they are learning in the classroom. When schools effectively equip families to support, the results are astonishing. FASTalk is an evidence-based tool that was designed to bridge the gap between classroom instruction and opportunities for reinforcement that extend beyond the school walls. FASTalk facilitates seamless and consistent learning-focused communication between schools and families. Our messages translate high-quality instructional materials into insights and activities that families can use to support their child’s learning outside of the classroom. Wondering how you can make the most of your family engagement strategy?In our last post, we shared a summary of strategies to improve parent-teacher communication in large school districts. Today, we’ve asked teachers to share their perspectives and experiences with family engagement in the context of their classroom. Read more to learn more about the high-impact family engagement strategies that these teachers are implementing and the connection with accelerated learning and student success. What is high-impact family engagement?Decades of research has revealed that families play an essential role in the learning and development of their children. In fact, parent and family involvement in at-home learning has more than twice the effect on student achievement than parents’ education levels or socioeconomic status (Melhuish et al, 2008). Educators have a unique opportunity to engage families as part of their extended “student success team,” and our experience in the field suggests that there are some simple yet effective strategies to do so. Building off of the Dual Capacity-Building Framework for Family-School Partnership, Family Engagement Lab believes that high-impact family engagement is collaborative, builds on the assets of both educators and families, and is focused on student learning. Our approach is guided by input from Teacher-leadersLet’s meet a few members of the FASTalk Teacher Advisory Board:
Perspectives from Teacher LeadersWe’ve asked these FASTalk super users to share more about their experiences with engaging families and how that connects with student success. We’ll dive into the reasons they prioritize family engagement, their recommendations for where to start, and how they’re using a teacher parent communication tool like FASTalk to build relationships with families centered around student learning. You have a lot on your plate and you’re often managing competing requests for your time. Why are you prioritizing family engagement?Learning often happens beyond the school buildingMs. Madison shared that in her experience, without family engagement there isn’t as much academic success, acknowledging that ‘learning doesn’t all happen in the classroom’. To make the most of family engagement, it is important to get really specific with families about what they can do to support. Ms. Madison also noted that it is rewarding to see how proud parents are of their children. ‘Student Success Team’ should include Teachers and FamiliesMrs. Reza refers to a triangle of people involved in learning; students, teachers, and families. She notes students’ growth is dependent on involving parents so that they can support their child at home, and ultimately that supports the teacher in the classroom. Strong relationships between families and the teacher are a game changer. Mrs. Reza also shares that ‘families love to know about their student’s progress and the more the teacher shares the better the results.” Engaged families are at the core of a healthy classroomMrs. Atkins noted that family engagement is core to a healthy classroom and that it is important to over communicate and connect. Her 13 years of experience teaching first grade has taught Ms. Atkins that you can see the impact when you don’t have a strong relationship with the parent or family member that is in charge. This sentiment is echoed by Mrs. Loftin. As a kindergarten teacher for 18 years, Mrs. Loftin has come to understand that in order for kids to learn, their parents must know what’s going on in the classroom. If they don’t know what is going on, then they are not able to support their kids. What would you recommend to other teachers who want to prioritize family engagement, but don't know where to start?Meet families where they areMrs. Loftin suggests starting with making connections and building relationships with families. She notes that it can be helpful to attend school and community events as they offer opportunities to connect outside of the classroom to build relationships. Taking an interest in students’ interests is another important way to demonstrate that you care, and parents will notice. Mrs. Loftin also noted that making an effort to reach out to check in with families can go a long way, she mentioned “families don’t know what they don’t know and oftentimes won’t feel comfortable to make the first contact, so it helps for you to reach out first.” Balanced communication includes glows and growsMs. Reza shared a few guiding principles and recommendations for teachers who are looking to start communicating and engaging their families: always have something positive to say about the student. If you start with 2 positives and a photo, then you can share a growth area. Leverage the resources and supports available to youMrs. Melissa recommends tapping into the support network at the school. This includes grade-level lead teachers and parental coordinators at the school to gather information and look for support with family communication. Working in collaboration with others can help reduce the amount of time and energy spent drafting communication. Keep it simple, and start with something smallMrs. Atkins recommends starting at a smaller scale that is more management. She has found success with sending home notes and quick text messages. If you’re not sure where to start, then think of something quick. A text message is just as effective as a full phone call, and can sometimes be more direct and better at keeping the communication on track. What was happening in your world when you realized the value of a family engagement tool like FASTalk?FASTalk helps Teachers meaningfully engage families in student learningMs. Madison shared that, "FASTalk has helped me engage with families in so many ways: as reminders for parents to review student work and tests, or fill out field trip slips, to more advanced individual reports about students glows and grows. FASTalk helps promote student success by engaging families in student learning. I see a huge progress in the students whose families respond to the messages and do the fun activities. Learning skills starts in the classroom but it takes a village to build lifelong learners that will be successful community members." FASTalk helps Teachers realize student success through relationship-building with familiesMrs. Reza is a firm believer in building strong teacher-family and teacher-student relationships. When these relationships exist, the outcome is huge and positive. Mrs. Reza shares that “parents love to know about their students’ progress and want to know what is happening in the classroom. It leads to better results. For the past 2 years, I have had FASTalk and home visits and I’ve been benefiting with the two programs.” FASTalk helps translate classroom instruction (and language) for families to use at homeMrs. West noted that she recognized the importance of learning-focused family communication when she began receiving FASTalk messages as a parent. She notes that, “FASTalk really does reinforce skills and that’s what families need at home. The kids need to hear the same language. They need to hear it from their teacher and they also need to hear it from their parents.” Family Engagement Lab is committed to helping districts, schools, and educators build authentic relationships with families that are focused on learning, and lead to meaningful improvements in student achievement. Subscribe to our Learning Series for curated family engagement resources.
Author: Kelsey Hodge School districts across the country are grappling with a range of challenges, from budget deficits to persistent absenteeism, all of which are affecting student achievement. Decades of research has shown that parental involvement in student learning can make a meaningful difference on student achievement, attendance, and graduation rates (Melhuish et al., 2008). Transformative parental involvement begins with the relationships that are fostered through parent-teacher communication. By employing high-impact strategies for parent-teacher communication, teachers can create the conditions through which families and schools can partner to support student learning outcomes. Advantages of Effective Parent-Teacher CommunicationTeachers and schools invest significant effort in keeping parents informed about events, conferences, and report cards. However, these traditional forms of communication often fail to reach all families reliably or equitably, particularly in communities with limited internet access or greater linguistic diversity. When parent-teacher communication is accessible to all, collaborative, and focused on student learning, school districts are able to grapple with the challenges they face as students thrive. Advantages for studentsAs school districts work to close grade-level gaps and boost student achievement, student absenteeism and mental health challenges are on the rise. Study after study has demonstrated the marked impact that parent-teacher partnerships have on student well-being and academic achievement. Students benefit tremendously from stronger parent involvement in schools. When parents and teachers engage in regular dialogue about the importance of attendance, the child’s overall well-being, and academic progress, it also builds a strong foundation for strengthening parent- teacher relationships. Strong parent-teacher communication and partnership can enhance each child’s engagement in their own learning journey and sense of belonging in their school community. Advantages for parentsParents have a strong desire to support their children’s education but often the shortcomings of traditional communication leave them ill-equipped to do so. Families report receiving limited information from their child’s school about grade-level skills, their child’s mastery of those skills, and what they can do to support at home. By inviting parents to partner and developing a collaborative relationship through on-going communication, teachers can build parents’ confidence in supporting their child’s educational journey and create schools in which all families are welcomed as valuable community members. Advantages for teachersThe everyday demands of teaching can be isolating. The responsibilities teachers are juggling, from implementing new curriculum to grappling with chronic absenteeism, can lead to teacher burnout. Effective parent-teacher communication provides teachers with a sense of partnership that ensures that teachers feel supported knowing that the learning happening in their classroom is being reinforced by families and caregivers at home. With on-going, relational communication with parents, teachers can gain greater insight into their students and build a more diverse toolkit for responding to each child’s needs resulting in improved job satisfaction. Strategies to Improve Parent-Teacher CommunicationThe most effective parent-teacher communication is relational, directly linked to student learning, and builds the capacity of both parents, teachers, and school administrators.. Adopting high-impact strategies like those below can allow large districts and busy teachers to maximize their limited time and resources with the maximum benefit for their students and school communities. Ensure Learning-focused Communication is Accessible for All Students’ FamiliesIn order for every child to have the opportunity to succeed, communication must be accessible for all parents and caregivers. Take time to gather information about the parents and caregivers within the community and their specific needs around contact preferences, home language, and internet access. By putting families’ communication needs at the forefront of parent-teacher communication, parents and caregivers are more readily able to engage and feel included in their child’s education. Personalize Parent-Teacher Communication with Impactful & Effective MessagingDespite current teacher and school district communication efforts, parents are frequently left wondering about grade-level learning goals and if their child is on track to meet those goals. A child’s teacher has invaluable insight into student learning and sharing that insight through learning-focused communication promotes a sense of trust and deepens the partnership between teachers and families. Be intentional about sharing regular updates on classroom learning in a way that allows parents to meaningfully engage and support their child’s growth. Set up a Two-Way DialogueToo often traditional parent-teacher communication looks more like a news bulletin than a conversation. To foster partnerships between parents and teachers, it’s important for teachers to start by sharing when parents can expect to hear from them, what information will be shared, and how parents can contact them. Open the conversation by asking parents and caregivers questions about their child or their hopes and dreams for them in order to connect. Once established, a two-way dialogue between parents and teachers not only promotes connection and builds capacity but also results in more positive communication. Share Student Successes and Areas for GrowthAfter establishing relationships with parents through accessible, learning-focused, two-way dialogue, it becomes much easier for teachers to contact parents and have open, honest conversations about students’ performance on assessments and behavior. In fact, many parents express a deep desire to know more about their child’s areas for growth. When parent-teacher communication promotes partnership and equips parents with actionable information, it allows for joint problem-solving that improves student outcomes. As trust builds through sustained dialogue, teachers are more equipped to have transparent conversations around topics like the impact of frequent absences on student learning. How FASTalk Can Transform Parent-Teacher CommunicationFASTalk is an evidence-based parent-teacher communication tool that was designed to connect classroom instruction with at-home learning through a regular cadence of learning-focused information and activities delivered to families in their home language. FASTalk aims to remove the common barriers to parent engagement by ensuring learning-focused communication takes place weekly, in each family’s preferred language, and doesn’t require access to WiFi. FASTalk equips teachers with a tool they can use to communicate via text message with their students’ families in over 100 languages without having to share their personal cell phone numbers. Parent involvement can play a pivotal role in advancing student learning outcomes for district’s seeking solutions to rising challenges. Reach Parents in Their Preferred Language Through Direct TranslationsThe FASTalk team identifies the linguistic needs of each school community to ensure that the FASTalk text messages sent to families are professionally translated into the home languages of all caregivers. In addition, teachers can use FASTalk to engage in two-way translated communication with parents and caregivers in over 100 languages. As a result of the accessibility of FASTalk messages and parental involvement, students have experienced literacy gains, especially when their parents did not share a home language with the teacher. Provide Engaging and Simple Learning Activities for Parents to Try With Their ChildThe FASTalk tips and activities are designed specifically for families by curriculum experts to align with a school district’s curriculum and/or grade-level learning goals. The weekly FASTalk text messages give caregivers a window into classroom learning by sharing on-going information about key grade-level skills and ways that they can reinforce those skills. While there are numerous communication platforms available for teachers to communicate with families, 85% of FASTalk families report that FASTalk is the only place that they receive learning focused information and activities to support their child. Connect Directly With Parents Through Text MessagesThe FASTalk tips and activities are delivered straight to parents’ phones each week through SMS text message. There’s no computer or internet connection required for parents ensuring that any caregiver with access to a cell phone can engage in fun, on-the-go activities to support their child’s learning from anywhere.
Family Engagement Lab gathers insights from the fieldFamily Engagement Lab went on a listening tour with school district leaders across the country from districts of varying sizes, student populations, and strategic priorities. We asked these leaders about their top priorities for the 23-24 school year, the things that are keepinging them up at night, and the things that have them most excited about the future of education. In this post, we’ll explore some of the themes that emerged from these interviews and the implications for technology programs in education. Top pain points that surfaced for School District LeadersThere were some unsurprising trends that surfaced from these conversations around top pain points and challenges for district leaders. A few things that are keeping district leaders up at night; challenges with retaining high-quality educators, concerns about balancing student academic performance and well-being post-pandemic, and managing unwieldy technology ecosystems that expanded as a result of pandemic-era technology purchases. There were some additional, and unexpected, themes that emerged around the role of family engagement in student academic achievement. District leaders shared that there is general agreement about the value of engaging families to support their child’s learning and academic performance, particularly when it comes to promoting attendance and classroom engagement. Yet, there is also a sentiment that the family engagement strategies adopted during the pandemic are falling short of meaningfully engaging families. There also appears to be a very real need for content that provides evidence-based, learning-focused strategies that are specifically designed for parents and families. Key Benefits & Implications for Technology in EducationThe results from our listening tour also surfaced many of the benefits that education technology offers to students, teachers, and families. Most importantly, effective selection and use of education technology can greatly enhance student learning experiences, making learning more engaging, rigorous, and relevant. After hearing from District leaders, we’ll be keeping our eye on a few categories of education technology that are showing real promise:
Ultimately, school district leaders also noted that they will continue to prioritize solutions that center student learning, deliver evidence-based strategies, and integrate seamlessly into the technology ecosystem. These solutions are more likely to; reduce teacher burnout by making teachers jobs easier, create opportunities for personalized learning, and maximize opportunities for learning inside and outside of the classroom. Broadly, we’ll continue to see Districts move towards streamlining their tech stack to ensure that their learning ecosystem is addressing the following priorities:
Programs that all districts should considerThe 2024-2025 academic year will continue to see a shift in education technology, as noted in the District Administration piece on key trends in EdTech; increasing emphasis will be placed on assessing the success of academic interventions and relying on data to drive decision-making. This trend underscores the importance of grading solutions, assessment platforms and student SIS systems that make it easy to collect student-level data. Data warehousing and visualization solutions will be increasingly important as Districts are trying to aggregate and make meaningful use of student level-data to assess the success of academic interventions. We’ll continue to see curricular shifts in literacy towards the Science of Reading and adoption of high-quality Mathematics instructional materials, which will change the ways in which teachers are delivering high quality instruction. Districts will need to provide professional development for teachers to ensure successful adoption and implementation of new curriculum and instructional strategies. To help strike a balance and reduce teachers’ workload, Districts will also continue to explore opportunities for AI to support effective instruction, especially in areas where effective use of AI may help free up time by removing or automating daily tasks. We’d offer that Districts might be missing a critical opportunity to effectively engage families in support of their child’s learning and development. Parents have the capacity and desire to enhance the learning experience for their child by helping to draw connections between school-based instruction and real-world contexts. Family Engagement Lab is committed to helping Districts leverage the potential of high-impact family engagement to accelerate student learning outcomes. Our experience in the field has revealed that there is a cascade of positive effects when Districts equip families with the information and tools they need to support their child’s learning and development.
We’re addressing an important pain point that has surfaced from these interviews - providing learning-focused strategies and activities that are designed specifically for families. FASTalk is an evidence based parent-teacher communication tool that translates high-quality instructional materials into tips and activities that families can easily use to support their child’s learning outside of the classroom. FASTalk tips and activities are informed by best practices for engaging families and are professionally developed to align with high-quality instructional materials. We’ve spent several years evaluating FASTalk’s impact on academic achievement and have observed significant improvements in student learning outcomes in ELA and math. Empower educators, Engage parents and families, Enhance learning for StudentsDistrict leaders are shaping the future of k-12 education now. They are making decisions informed by the needs of learners and staff in their district, are focused on evidence-based strategies and programs, and are considering how new solutions integrate into the existing tech stack. We’d offer that high-impact family engagement will enhance the existing learning ecosystem for educators and students.
Headlines in major outlets have been pretty dire lately- the impacts of the pandemic on student learning continue to reverberate through schools across the country. We’ve heard from District leaders that they are looking for solutions to recover instructional time and accelerate student learning, and are laser focused on:
While these focus areas will meaningfully and positively impact K-12 education, they may fall short if families are not considered as a key stakeholder in maximizing the impact of HQIM and SEL programs. Research shows that when families are equipped with the right tools and information they are able to effectively support their child’s learning and well-being. Yet, as school curriculum and instruction changes parents and families have expressed frustration, feeling like they don’t have the right tools to support their child’s learning in ELA and Math. We’ve asked co-founders of Family Engagement Lab, Vidya Sundaram and Elisabeth O’Bryon, to weigh in on the opportunity that exists in 2024 and beyond. They have shared predictions for how Districts will accelerate student achievement by leveraging the strengths of parents and families to increase their involvement and reinforce student learning. How can Districts make the most of classroom instruction? Vidya Sundaram shares, “Improving the quality of instructional materials is a smart, cost-effective strategy to improve learning outcomes. Districts looking to optimize their curriculum investment will also implement newly available curriculum-aligned offerings, from professional learning to assessments and family communications.” What’s the role of families in effective SEL programs? Elisabeth O’Bryon, highlights that “With student mental health needs outpacing many schools’ capacity to provide support, it will be even more critical to look to families as vital partners in supporting student success. Social and emotional supports show up in FASTalk in a number of ways: (1) messages are designed to support key relationship building between parents and children as well as parents and teachers, and (2) tips and activities provide families with the opportunity to practice and reinforce specific SEL skills at home.” How do you envision school learning environments changing for multilingual learners? Elisabeth O’Bryon is optimistic that, “as we continue to see an increase in the linguistic diversity of our school communities, as well as growing interest in multilingual learning environments, I am hopeful that a spotlight is shone on what a tremendous asset multilingualism is. Embracing multilingualism truly enriches school communities and, as such, schools need to be equipped to equitably and authentically engage multilingual families as partners in supporting student learning.” How do you envision K-12 EdTech evolving next year? Vidya Sundaram shares “While generative AI has been the hot topic of 2023, I expect next year we will see K-12 technology advancements that strengthen the capacity of teachers (such as automating repetitive tasks), and more multilingual culturally responsive learning resources for students and families.” We’ll be digging into each of these topics in 2024 and sharing how parent and family involvement are an integral part of a student’s learning support team. Subscribe to our newsletter to hear the latest!
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