Researched, organized, and compiled by:

Bryce CottinghamSylvia Denice

For schools and school leaders, parent and community engagement has always been of high priority. With the COVID-19 pandemic, parent and community engagement has never been more important for the success of schools. The National PTA has stated on the subject of reopening schools, “Inclusive stakeholder engagement is essential for effective decision-making and implementation. Any decision to reopen schools must involve parents, families, students, educators, school employees, public health experts and community members in the planning, implementation and monitoring of the 2020-2021 school year.” Communication between schools, parents, and community members is vital for school leaders to understand and meet the needs of parents and community members so they can find comfort as their children resume learning activities. Understanding the needs of parents and the surrounding community can better prepare a school to carryout learning at home opportunities, hybrid-learning opportunities, and/or in-person learning opportunities when school resumes. The Reform Support Network says, “The purpose of community engagement is to ensure that school improvement is done with the community, not to the community.” Understanding and working to meet the needs of parents and the surrounding community will help foster greater success among students. Based upon our research and conversations with experts we have provided insights on the importance of parent and community engagement, using surveys and focus groups to collect data, and resources for further investigation.

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Page 4 Actionable Steps

Page 5 Why Parent/Community Engagement?

Page 6 Where to Begin

Page 8 Engagement Strategies

Page 9 Effective Communication

Page 10 Assessing and Addressing Needs

Page 11 The Importance of Focus Groups

Page 12 How to Design A Focus Group

Page 13 Surveys

Page 14 Community Resource Guide

Page 15 Advisors

Page 16 References

Table of ContentsParent and Community Engagement

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Based upon the research of the Parent and Community Engagement Team, it is recommended that schools conduct a series of surveys (links located on the Community Resource Guide).

● Who should the survey include?○ Teachers and Support Staff○ Parents and Guardians○ Community Members Involved with the School

Once survey results are collected, develop and conduct focus group interviews.

Tips for developing focus groups include:

● Participants should not be randomly selected● Participants should be determined to have the information that

is being sought● Develop a plan for implementation of Focus Group meetings● Develop questions to pose to the Focus Groups● Have participants sign a consent form prior to beginning Focus

Group meetings

Based on Team Research-Our Recommended Action Steps

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Research and fieldwork show parent-school-partnerships improve schools,strengthen families, build community support, and increase student achievement and success.”-National Education Association (Parent, Family, Community

Involvement in Education, 2008)

Why Parent/Community Engagement?

● Students with involved parents are more likely to have higher grades and test scores, attend school regularly, have better social skills, show improved behavior, and adapt well to school (What Research Says, 2020).

● When parents are involved at school, the performance of all children at school, not just their own, tends to improve. The more comprehensive and well planned the partnership between school and home, the higher the student achievement (What Research Says, 2020).

● "Family engagement does not always mean families coming to school for events/information, but also includes the ways in which families support students at home." (Dr. Brooke Kandel-Cisco, Dean, Butler University, College of Education)

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Why Parent/Community Engagement? cont.

● Parent attendance at school events, seminars, workshops, and community meetings around school improvement

● More outreach from families to schools (phone calls, direct requests, and feedback)

● Positive results and participation on surveys for parents

● Parents become organizers and advocates for school improvement

● Improved school climate● Decline in behavior problems in schools● Student attendance and satisfaction increase● Student achievement: improved test scores,

persistence in and graduation from high school

-Strategies for Community Engagement in School Turnaround [PDF]. (2014, March).

Reform Support Network.

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Where to Begin

1. Acknowledge where we are

2. With patience, build trust- Information should be complete, truthful, sincere, open, proactive, regular, and include ample opportunity for feedback- You may “be met with skepticism, disbelief, and lukewarm response… This is a rational response.”

3. Just startWe are recommending…- Surveys- Focus Groups- Proactive Communication- Maintaining and Building Community Connections

Adapted from the work of Carmita Semaan, founder and President of the Surge Institute, a national nonprofit focused on leadership development for education leaders of color.

Childress, S. (2020, May 20). How To Lead Through Crisis: People First. Forbes. Retrieved June 17, 2020, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/staceychildress/2020/05/20/how-to-lead-through-crisis-people-first/#75ff5eb74701

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The purpose of community engagement is to ensure that school improvement is done with the community,not to the community.” -Reform Support Network (RSN)

Engagement Strategies1. Make engagement a priority and establish an

infrastructure- Mission statements and plans for engagement- Clearly identify roles and responsibilities to build community and outreach- Advisory groups- Resources to prepare the community

2. Communicate proactively in the community- Emails, website updates, mailings, flyers, newsletters, Open Houses, Zoom meetings- At minimum, inform key audiences about work and changes, expectations and systems

3. Listen to the community and respond to feedback4. Offer meaningful opportunities to participate

Classes to support parents support parents supporting students

5. Turn community supporters into leaders and advocates

Strategies for Community Engagement in School Turnaround [PDF]. (2014, March).

Reform Support Network.

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Communities move from participation to involvement to ‘true’ engagement where communities not only generate ideas but run programs and influence action.”

- Larry Fondation, Green Dot Public Schools

Effective Communication

● Surveys● Offer trainings● Provide clear information on policies, procedures, and

expectations● Ensure timely access to information, using effective

tools that address various family structures and translated into languages parents/families understand

● Utilize school/community liaisons who know the communities’ histories, languages, and cultural backgrounds to contact parents and coordinate events

● Develop an outreach strategy to inform families, businesses, and the community about school and family involvement opportunities, policies, and programs

● Regularly evaluate effectiveness● Provide communication in a variety of formats

(in-person, phone call, web conference, etc.) to address all levels of accessibility and comfort

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Assessing and Addressing Needs

1. Continue meeting pre-existing basic needs of families regularly serviced before school closure

2. Address families recommended for services before closure who had not yet been met

3. Meal distribution and technology access offerings available to all families no matter what communicated through social media, emails, newsletters, phone calls, etc.

(Suggested options from advisor Crystal Haslett)

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The Importance of Focus Groups

● Focus Groups allow participants to share opinions in a group setting.

● Discussion fosters the opportunity to collect data on multiple perspectives at once.

● Participants are selected based upon what desired information is needed. This allows researchers to focus on a group of participants with the same or similar characteristics to get an understanding of that group’s viewpoints.

● Focus Groups can allow the researchers to identify specific strengths and weaknesses in programs they are involved with.

● Using focus groups allows school leaders to involve parents and community members in the decision making process which can, in turn, increase parent and community engagement.

Gibbs, A. (1997). Focus Groups. Social Research Update. Retrieved 6/17/20, from https://openlab.citytech.cuny.edu/her-macdonaldsbs2000fall2015b/files/2011/06/Focus-Groups_Anita-Gibbs.pdf

Villard, J. A. (2003). Use of Focus Groups an Effective Tool for Involving People in Measuring Quality and Impact. Place of publication not identified: Distributed by ERIC Clearinghouse.

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How to Design A Focus Group-

1. Determine what essential questions need answered and decide what characteristics of participants will help attain those answers.

2. Recruit and select focus group participants.a. Participants should not be random.

3. Develop questions that will be asked during the focus group meeting.a. These questions should not be “yes or no” questions.

4. Select a moderator and assistant moderator that will conduct the focus group meeting.a. Ideally the moderator will be trained in facilitating a focus

group discussion so as to not compromise the integrity of the data collected from the group.

5. Reserve a space to have the focus group meet.6. Invite all participants

a. It may be necessary to invite a few extra in case there are no shows.

7. Conduct the meeting.a. Moderator will ask the questions and facilitate conversation.b. Assistant Moderator will record the conversation and take

notes.8. Following the meeting, debrief and tabulate data.

Duke, T. (2005). Guidelines for Conducting Focus Groups. Retrieved 6/17/20, fromhttps://irep.olemiss.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/98/2016/05/Trinity_Duke_How_to_Conduct_a_Focus_Group.pdf

Stewart, D. W., & Shamdasani, P. N. (2015). Focus Groups: Theory and Practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

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Surveys

Parent Survey:For Parents of Students in your School CommunityOriginal Sample

https://forms.gle/PKkJwt2hFuLoEhHs6

Parent Survey:Make a Copy to adapt for your School

https://docs.google.com/forms/u/2/d/1I8Xf2HZU6IM4cXn7XRw7JCiOyu1UhPINqPoShneuJLc/copy

Community Member Survey: For Community Members, Businesses, and OrganizationsOriginal Sample

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/17GktVNrl6bHJYs-3rNh6Vk_BUQ4ZMijvnWB_k5cW94Q/edit?usp=sharing

Community Member Survey: Make a Copy to adapt for your Community

https://docs.google.com/forms/u/2/d/17GktVNrl6bHJYs-3rNh6Vk_BUQ4ZMijvnWB_k5cW94Q/copy

Teacher/Staff Survey:Original Sample

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1dEiatngQ9HUTpSewzxQcuCtaP-Y6EDceFjBY1BKjfXM/prefill

Teacher/Staff Survey: Make a Copy to adapt for your Staff

https://docs.google.com/forms/u/2/d/1dEiatngQ9HUTpSewzxQcuCtaP-Y6EDceFjBY1BKjfXM/copy

RESOURCE GUIDE

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Focus Group Creation Checklist https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LojwtXA7Y_0nC9ojvdSlnE28zyirW1VIl5aS9gUZmQg/edit?usp=sharing

Pandemic EBT Program https://docs.google.com/document/d/19wouURvxxXO_t9PbOx0X53247m46emX0AELWLijh398/edit?usp=sharing

DCS Resource Guidance:“Guidance for various programs and stakeholders regarding COVID-19,” including food, health, and childcare resources.

https://www.in.gov/dcs/4089.htm

IN-CLASS COVID-19 Health and Safety Re-entry Guidance

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1T1nQj3BrQRtT5QXVcVLGel14bOd5dSClWRggPuPE5dg/edit?usp=sharing

Indiana Department of Education Family Engagement Toolkit

https://www.doe.in.gov/covid-19/resources/family-engagement-toolkit

“National PTA Adopts Position Statement on Reopening of Public Pre-K-12 Schools for the 2020-2021 School Year”

https://www.pta.org/home/About-National-Parent-Teacher-Association/PTA-Newsroom/news-list/news-detail-page/2020/06/12/national-pta-adopts-position-statement-on-reopening-of-public-prek-12-schools-for-the-2020-2021-school-year

Parent/Community 2020 Blueprint Research Folder

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1j8P_BOj7U6duKEck0nMgfSAWUfyRaRPJ?usp=sharing

RESOURCE GUIDE

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Ms. Crystal Haslett Social Worker MSD of Washington Township

Ms. Heather Gorgas Assistant Principal River Birch Elementary School, Avon Community

School Corporation

Dr. Brooke Kandel-Cisco

Dean of the College of Education Butler University

Ms. Lauren Peterson Senior Director of Community Engagement

The Mind Trust

Ms. Tina Merriweather Seymour

Senior Director of School Support

The Mind Trust

Ms. Ashley Verdin Education Entrepreneur Fellow

The Mind Trust

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Parent and Community Engagement

Attention Families Receiving Free and Reduced-Price School Meals. (2020). Indianapolis: IN.gov.

Childress, S. (2020, May 20). How To Lead Through Crisis: People First. Forbes. Retrieved June 17, 2020, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/staceychildress/2020/05/20/how-to-lead-through-crisis-people-first/#75ff5eb74701

DCS guidance for various programs and stakeholders regarding COVID-19. (2020). Retrieved June 22, 2020, from https://www.in.gov/dcs/4089.htm

Duke, T. (2005). Guidelines for Conducting Focus Groups. Retrieved 6/17/20, fromhttps://irep.olemiss.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/98/2016/05/Trinity_Duke_How_to_Conduct_a_Focus_Group.pdf

Effective Family and Community Engagement Strategies [PDF]. (2014, March). Hanover Research.

Gibbs, A. (1997). Focus Groups. Social Research Update. Retrieved 6/17/20, from https://openlab.citytech.cuny.edu/her-macdonaldsbs2000fall2015b/files/2011/06/Focus-Groups_Anita-Gibbs.pdf

Kominiak, T. (n.d.). Report: Districts need to do more to encourage parent involvement in schools. Retrieved August 14, 2017, from https://www.k12insight.com/trusted/report-parent-involvement/

Parent, Family, Community Involvement in Education. [PDF]. (2008). Washington, D.C.: NEA Education Policy and Practice Department.

Parental Involvement in Schools. (2018, September 16). Retrieved June 17, 2020, from https://www.childtrends.org/indicators/parental-involvement-in-schools

Sample Best Practices for Parent Involvement in Schools. (2016, June 7). Retrieved June 17, 2020, from http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Student-Supports/Family-and-Community-Engagement/Getting-Parents-Involved/Sample-Best-Practices-for-Parent-Involvement-in-Sc

Stewart, D. W., & Shamdasani, P. N. (2015). Focus Groups: Theory and Practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

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Parent and Community Engagement

Strategies for Community Engagement in School Turnaround [PDF]. (2014, March). Reform Support Network.

The Importance of Parent Engagement: A List of Research and Thought Leadership. (2016, August 25). Retrieved June 17, 2020, from https://www.familiesandschools.org/blog/the-importance-of-parent-engagement/

What Research Says About Parent Involvement. (2020). Retrieved June 17, 2020, from https://www.responsiveclassroom.org/what-research-says-about-parent-involvement/

Writing, A. (2019). Join our Cloud HD Video Meeting. Retrieved June 23, 2020, from https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86970274176?pwd=UzFpUjZGOVR0cDgwVVZsUU5lUlpqdz09

Villard, J. A. (2003). Use of Focus Groups an Effective Tool for Involving People in Measuring Quality and Impact. Ohio: Distributed by ERIC Clearinghouse.

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Parent and Community Engagement