Promoting Successful and Meaningful Family Engagement

1. Promoting Successful and Meaningful Family Engagement April 30, 2014

2. Expect More Arizona A nonprofit, nonpartisan education advocacy organization working to build a movement of Arizonans in support of world-class education for all children.

3. Expect More Arizona We build the public will for a world-class education for all by: • Raising public awareness of critical education issues • Engaging parents and families • Convening community leaders & organizations to support education

4. Are We Doing Enough to Support Educators and Effectively Prepare our Children for the Future?

5. Where Do We Stand Today? Arizona students who do not graduate on time 23% Arizona graduates who do not qualify for admission into state universities 53% Arizona students that enroll in remedial classes in community colleges 59% Employers who report their new hires are deficient in basic skills 42%

6. Familiesare Our Most Important Partners Families with high academic expectations have children who: • Attend school regularly • Have stronger social skills • Earn higher grades • Graduate from high school • Go on to college or other postsecondary program

7. What is Family Engagement?

8. Family Engagement is: • A shared responsibility • Continuous across a child’s lifespan • Carried out everywhere that children learn

9. Effective Things Families Can Do at High School Level • Set high expectations • Establish a college going culture • Support academic achievement • Advocate for their child • Support social and emotional factors

10. Set High Expectations • Communicate high expecatations openly • Expect your child to go to college • Foster educational and occupational aspirations

11. Establish College Going Culture • Discuss going to college • Make plans for the future • Visit colleges together • Attend college planning workshops • Create and use a college planning checklist

12. Support Academic Achievement • Discuss learning strategies • Other ideas: • Help with time management • link schoolwork to current events • discuss the activities your children do at school • set clear expectations about school attendance

13. Advocate for Their Child • Speak up for their child when needed. • Help them get in the best teachers’ classes • Get to know how the school system works/functions

14. Support Social and Emotional Factors • Identity development • Motivation and goal setting • Self-regulatory skills

15. How Can You Support Family Engagement?

16. Traditional Things • Discuss importance of attendance and credit accumulation • Facilitate meetings with teachers and counselors about their child’s academic program • Explain courses their children need for post-secondary education • Provide info on financing a post-secondary education and financial aid

17. Supporting Social and Emotional Factors • Communicate with family members about the skills needed for college in a comfortable, accessible manner on an ongoing basis. • Invite families to be involved in college exploration activities. • Create opportunities for families to connect and build networks together. • Facilitate family-youth discussions about college. • Organize student led conferences for cooperative planning (study habits, organization, planning, leadership, presentation skills) for students and parents.

18. What are some barriers to getting families engaged?

19. Overcoming Barriers • One invitation is rarely enough • Be respectful • Be persistent • Solicit and welcome family feedback • Provide logistical support

20. Resources Available to Support You • Expect More Arizona’s Family Engagement Resources: • Today campaign • Workshops and presentations • College and career preparation and family support materials • Timely education information • Multi-cultural family resources • Parent led engagement initiative

21. You only get one Today, make the most of it.

23. Today Campaign- Goals • Parents create a collegecompletion culture for their families • Habituate meaningful behavior • General public supports educators and the success of all children

24. TodayInAZ.org

25. Workshops and Presentations • College and Career Planning Workshop • Arizona’s College and Career Ready Standards Presentation • Family Engagement Workshop • Train the Trainer Workshop • Quality of Life Presentation

26. Multi-Cultural Family Resources • Today Campaign for Latino Communities • Spanish language social media • Spanish translation of key workshops • Spanish and culturally relevant support materials

27. What other resources or support would help you engage families?

28. Contact Information • Donna Davis, Senior Community Mobilizer, donna@expectmorearizona.org • Jennifer Hernandez, Northern Arizona Community Mobilizer, jennifer@expectmorearizona.org • Selena Llamas, Southern Arizona Community Mobilizer, selena@expectmorearizona.org • Adriana Figueroa, Director of Multicultural Community Engagement, adriana@expectmorearizona.org • Erin Eccleston, VP Mobilization and Outreach, erineccleston@expectmorearizona.org

29. Thank You