Decades of research have shown the importance of engaging families as partners in students’ learning. But, in recent years, with many schools and districts tasked with meeting the growing demands of standards and assessments, operationalizing family engagement seemed peripheral rather than essential.

Currently, learning environments are migrating from the classroom to the home in response to the global pandemic. And, around the country, communities are working to shift educational institutions to be more inclusive and representative as they openly grapple with the long history of systemic racial inequality. Given this context, the role of families has become increasingly more critical both to encourage student achievement and growth and to ensure that a broader set of perspectives is included in district and school decision-making. Therefore, moving forward with an asset-based view of families is fundamental.

This ToolKit is designed to provide educators with insights, research, and strategies on how to effectively partner with families so that every student has an equitable opportunity to learn.