Resources for Communities

Community Conversation Toolkits

Inclusion Community Conversation Toolkit

The 'Inclusion Takes A Community' Community Conversation Toolkit was originally developed for the Washington State Inclusionary Practices Development Project. This initiative has now expanded into the Inclusionary Practices Technical Assistance Network (IPTN). The toolkit has been updated from its original version and continues to serve as a valuable resource for individuals and communities who are dedicated to ensuring that their schools are inclusive of each and every student.

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Belonging Community Conversation Toolkit

The 'Building Belonging,Together' Community Conversation Toolkit is designed to help communities foster inclusive and welcoming school environments, grounded in the Indicators of Belonging developed by Dr. Eric Carter. This toolkit provides practical resources and guides to help communities engage in meaningful conversations about what it means to belong. The toolkit aims to support educators, families, and community members in creating spaces where every student feels valued, connected, and a sense of belonging.

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Family Engagement Frameworks

Frameworks that support schools, families, and community partners in developing more meaningful and equitable family engagement practices.

Washington State Family Engagement Framework, WA OSPI

This framework is based on a review of national research as well as family engagement policies and best practices in Washington and other states.

Open resource
Dual Capacity-Building Framework for School-Family Partnerships, Harvard University

This framework, designed to support the development of family engagement strategies, policies, and programs, is based on existing research and best practices.

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The School/District Family Leadership Framework

This tool lists key conditions for infrastructure, capacity-building, and relationships to provide meaningful and equitable family leadership. It is recommended as a launching point for reflection and action.

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Family Engagement Framework, Family Leadership Design Collaborative

This framework represents the vision of The Family Leadership Design Collaborative—a national network of scholars, practitioners, and family and community leaders who work to center racial equity in family engagement.

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Family Engagement Tools and Toolkits

Actionable resources that support communities as they engage with schools and families.

The Family Engagement Learning Series Briefs

These briefs summarize a six-part webinar series of conversations designed to Raise the Bar for family engagement practices between school and home.

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Authentic Family & Community Engagement Learning Modules, WA OSPI

These online learning modules and resource toolkit support team discussions and action planning for partnerships between schools and communities.

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School-Wide Family Engagement Rubric, Flamboyan Foundation

This tool illustrates effective family engagement and helps schools focus on, learn about, and generate new ideas and strategies for family engagement.

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Toolkit of Resources for Engaging Families and the Community as Partners in Education

This four-part resource brings together research, promising practices, tools, and resources to guide educators in strengthening partnerships with families and community members to support student learning.

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Inclusionary Practices Family Engagement Collaborative, WA OSPI

A website with information about the Washington State Inclusionary Practices Professional Development Project, professional development and learning opportunities, inclusive education efforts in your community.

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Resources for Educators from NAFSCE

A variety of resources, including toolkits that can be adapted for community partners, to help schools improve family engagement practices.

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Roots of Inclusion Community Conversation Toolkit

A toolkit to help families, educators, and community members plan and host a community conversation on inclusion.

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Research

Research on effective, equitable practices to advance the field and inform how schools and communities approach family engagement.

WASFEC Asset Mapping Executive Summary

The WASFEC conducted interviews and focus groups with family leaders, organizations, and agencies across the state to better understand family engagement, build relationships, and learn how WASFEC can better support families, students, and educators.

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Embracing a New Normal: Toward a More Liberatory Approach to Family Engagement

A report by Karen L. Mapp and Eyal Bergman outlining a new vision for family engagement that cultivates effective partnerships between families and educators.

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The State of School-Family Partnerships, National Parent Teacher Association

A report summarizing findings and recommendations from a 2022 nationwide survey of 1,588 parents and guardians with children in public schools.

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Parent Leadership and Organizing for Justice: A Landscape Analysis

This report shares findings from the first-ever landscape analysis of parent leadership organizations across the U.S.

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Carnegie Challenge Paper: Next Generation Family Engagement

This resource center informs and inspires the field to place families at the center of any approach to student success.

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Family Engagement Core Competencies: A Body of Knowledge and Dispositions for Family-Facing Professionals

This resource is a unified and nationally agreed-upon set of professional competencies for the family engagement field.

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Parent Leadership Indicators Project

A resource that shares evaluation tools and findings from researchers who are developing new evaluation methods for parent leadership development initiatives.

Open resource