Six Types of Involvement

This issue focuses on collaborations among schools and communities to do the very best job possible in supporting our students in their learning. There is much research that validates specific actions that can make big improvements in student achievement.

—Editor All schools can use this research-generated framework to develop a comprehensive program

of school, family, and community partnerships. For more about community partnerships, see Darcy Hutchins article beginning on page 22. From Joyce Epstein, et al., these recommendations are published in School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Your Handbook for Action, third edition (Corwin Press, 2009).

A RESEARCH-BASED FRAMEWORK OF SIX TYPES OF INVOLVEMENT

All schools can use the research-generated framework of six types of involvement to develop a compre- hensive program of school, family, and community partnerships (Epstein et al., 2009).

Type 1—PARENTING: Assist families with parenting skills, family support, understanding child and

adolescent development, and setting home conditions to support learning at each age and grade level. Assist schools in understanding families’ backgrounds, cultures, and goals for children.

Type 2—COMMUNICATING: Communicate with families about school programs and student prog-

ress in varied, clear, and productive ways. Create two-way communication channels from school-to- home and from home-to-schools so that families can easily communicate with teachers, administrators, counselors, and other families.

Type 3—VOLUNTEERING: Improve recruitment, training, activities, and schedules to involve families

as volunteers and as audiences at the school or in other locations. Enable educators to work with regu- lar and occasional volunteers who assist and support students and the school.

Type 4—LEARNING AT HOME: Involve families with their children in academic learning activities at

home, including homework, goal setting, and other curriculum-related activities and decisions. Encour- age teachers to design homework that enables students to share and discuss interesting work and ideas with family members. (Note: The TIPS Interactive Homework process supports and strengthens Type 4.)

Type 5—DECISION MAKING: Include families as participants in school decisions, governance, and

advocacy activities through school councils or improvement teams, committees, PTA/PTO, and other parent organizations. Assist family and teacher representatives to obtain information from and give information to those they represent.

Type 6—COLLABORATING WITH COMMUNITY: Coordinate resources and services for families, stu-

dents, and the school with community businesses, agencies, cultural and civic organizations, colleges or universities, and other community groups. Enable students, staff, and families to contribute their service to the community.

Schools may choose from hundreds of practices to represent the six types of involvement. Each type

of involvement has explicit challenges that must be met to turn an ordinary program into an excellent one. Family and community activities can be designed and implemented for each type of involvement to help students reach specific school goals. Visit the National Network of Partnership Schools at partnership schools.org for more information.

SYNERGY LEARNING INTERNATIONAL, INC.

PO Box 60, Brattleboro, VT 05302 Connect ™

Volume 25 • Issue 4 March • April 2012

Innovations in K–8 Science, Math, and Technology