Engaging Parents and Families to Support the Recovery of Districts and Schools

Nancy Hill | Harvard University
Latoya Gayle | Boston School Finder

Breaking Down the Issue

• Schools are demanding more than ever from parents even as parents lack specific guidance and supports from schools to meet many of the demands.
• The disruption of ongoing school routines is already having detrimental effects on families while limiting access to mental health and wellness services.
• Legacies of discrimination and marginalization in schools and inequities in access to highquality education undermine trust in ways that shape the possibilities for family engagement.

Strategies to Consider

• Communications with families are most effective when they are regular, well-timed, and include actionable support strategies.
• Schools will be more successful involving parents in academics when the asks focus on helping students establish good work habits and time management rather than supplementing instruction or academic content.
• Schools must ensure genuine representation across parental communities to promote authentic engagement.
• Schools can reduce family anxiety by providing a sense of routine for students and families. Older students benefit from a role in shaping these routines.

Strategies to Avoid

• Lowering academic standards and workload with the goal of helping families balance students’ broader socioemotional needs is unlikely to reduce parental anxiety.
• Communication strategies that wait until the end of the quarter or semester are unlikely to shift parent or student behavior.