Principals' influence on students is largely indirect, but their work in shaping school cultures, equipping teachers, and welcoming families all support students' academic achievement. A few pivots on the part of principals may transform the ways that parents and families participate in and engage with their students' schooling. This brief is designed to help principals incorporate practices into their schools which invite the engagement and expertise of students' families. It describes a survey study of about 180 parents and guardians of K12 students in the Wilmington, Delaware metropolitan area. The goal of the study was to better understand whether families trust schools, the extent of their engagement, and the strength of their efficacy beliefs regarding school engagement. Conversely, the research team also set out to understand what schools are doing or have done to contribute to feelings of trust and to cultivate families' efficacy for school engagement.