This qualitative content analysis of course descriptions and syllabi examines how family and community engagement are addressed in principal preparation programs. Relying on a conceptual framework that centers four areas of practice, the analysis determined only half of programs had a substantial focus on families and communities. Many programs…

Preservice educators' attitudes and beliefs towards families can have a profound impact on family-centered practices (FCPs) and family-professional partnerships (FPPs); unfortunately, negative beliefs about families can surface during preservice early childhood preparation and can be a challenge for faculty in higher education to address. This…

Research has indicated that by acquiring the skills realted to self-determination postschoool outcomes and quality of life are likely to improve for young adults with disabilities. Therefore, instructional efforts focused on fostering the self-determination skills is considered an essential component of the educational program and services for…

This Action Research study investigated adult (i.e., teachers and parents) use of picture books with children as tools to support the exploration of their individual cultures and ethnicities. Participants in Cycle 1 consisted of educators (i.e., teachers, administrators, and librarians). Data was collected through interviews, lesson plans, and…

Texting is increasingly used by teachers to communicate with families about classroom logistics and to support learning at home. The authors review the research evidence supporting texting as a tool for increasing family members' engagement and their children's learning, including the authors' own evidence-based texting program, Text to Talk,…

Every year in Riverside School District, a pseudonym, children face the prospect of not attaining a prekindergarten school admission. Riverside has a large population of Black and Brown students and Haitian second language learners. The school also has a high percentage, 89.4%, of families who are considered to be low-income (School and District…

According to the US Census data (2023), since the COVID-19 pandemic, more families are choosing to homeschool their children, the rate of white homeschooled children increased from 5.7% in the spring of 2020 to 9.7% in the fall of 2020. For Asian children, homeschooling rates increased from 4.9% to 8.8% during this same time. There was an overall…

Many teachers use traditional counting and shape books in math class. But what would happen if we approached any story with a math lens? How might mathematizing children's literature give learners space to ask their own questions and make connections between stories, their lives, and the world around them? These are the questions Allison Hintz and…

Family engagement and family literacy are two of the most important or components for building a strong foundation for children's academic success. Family engagement is about spending quality time with children every day by talking, playing, and asking questions, which builds bonds and promotes language development. Family literacy supports…

The aim of the study is to investigate the impact of embedding the computer-based 'Parent, Family, and Community Engagement Simulation Series' within teacher education curricula in higher education institutions in the US and in Spain. A quantitative survey design was used to explore student teachers' perceptions of the simulation experience. The…

In this article, we introduce instructional choice as a simple, feasible, effective strategy for teachers and families to increase student engagement as well as decrease off-task and disruptive behaviors in range of contexts. We provide step-by-step guidance to illustrate how instructional choice can be used by teachers in in-person and remote…

The US is becoming progressively diverse and so are our classrooms. Home-school partnerships are essential to supporting diverse learners. It is critical both new and veteran practitioners make intentional efforts to provide culturally proficient practices when building home-school partnerships. Cultural awareness is identified across disciplines…

Read Two Impress Plus (R2I+) is a fluency-building routine involving students and a more experienced reader in an echo reading process using culturally and linguistically authentic texts. R2I+ was offered as a partnership-centered, culturally and linguistically affirming family engagement to improve the literacy proficiency of students, aged 7-12,…

Family engagement in children's learning is an evidence-based approach supporting student learning. This study examines four primary school teachers' family engagement practice, within a non-dominant community. Utilising the framework of Critical Participatory Action Research (CPAR), the teachers examined their partnerships with families,…

The aim of this essay is to reflect on an alternative pedagogical model, family workshops, and see how they can serve as an unconventional approach to family engagement, as well as provide a practical recount of the work developed by the LISELL-B Project. This alternative and innovative model may serve as a practical guide for educators,…