In November 2022, the National Parent Teacher Association's Center for Family Engagement will release an update to the National Standards for Family-School Partnerships, a tool used nationwide to set the bar for effective family engagement that was last updated in 2008. The goals of the update are to reflect more current research and best practices, center the perspectives of families (particularly from historically marginalized identities) and maximize the standards' usefulness for a variety of audiences.
A key part of the Center for Family Engagement's process has been gathering feedback from nearly 600 parents, educators, and students through listening sessions and a survey. The center partnered with expert advisors, nonprofits (including ASCD) and district and state PTAs to ensure they heard from a diverse group of participants. Several findings emerged from this listening tour:
- Families want the physical school building to be welcoming and accessible, and want school staff to be friendly and culturally competent when engaging visitors.
- Families want responsive, proactive, two-way communication—and they want communication available in their primary languages.
- In addition to academic success, families care deeply about their children's social-emotional development.
- Families want to have their voices heard and they want more transparency when it comes to school decision-making.
These key findings will be reflected in the updated standards, which will have a more intentional focus on whole-child approaches and culturally competent practices. Eager to learn more? Save the date for the National PTA's Family-School Partnerships Town Hall on Thursday, November 17, 2022 at 7 PM E.T. Stay connected at pta.org/standards.
