As we enter into a new school year, let’s imagine what authentic family engagement can be. Educators, what would your relationship with your students’ families look like in the best case? Families, what conditions would make you feel like a partner with your child’s school? What would healthy, equitable relationships between schools and families look like? 

In our recent APPLE (Advancing Parent-Professional Leadership) sessions with school districts, families and educators imagined future family and community engagement in these ways:

• “ALL parents feel like a part of the school community”
• “No more 'us vs. them'!”
• “Town officials and leadership getting to know district families”
• “All students having advocates both in school and at home… either educationally, or emotionally.”
• “Acknowledging the power imbalance weighted towards the district - particularly when working with vulnerable populations”
• “All the different parent organizations working together!”
• “Families are recognized as experts on their children”

How about you? What are you imagining for this school year? How can MASFEC support your vision? Reach out and let us know!

MASFEC is launching a new initiative to support educators and families to build their data literacy. Being able to ask questions and communicate about data is an important tool for meaningful collaboration between families and schools. Check out our first tip sheets in the collection: 

• Educational Achievement Testing
• Intelligence Testing
• Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Screenings

Learn more about data literacy

‘Tis the season for back-to-school events hosted by family-led groups (SEPACs, ELPACs, PTOs, etc.) in your school district. If you lead “get to know our group” events at any time of the year, this idea from Meghan Chapman, MASFEC’s Family Partnership Specialist, is for you. The post is available in multiple languages!

Try out these 3 questions you can use to engage other families! 

English

Spanish

Portuguese

Haitian Creole

Chinese

Governor Baker signed into law a one-year extension of School Meals for All for the 2022-2023 school year in Massachusetts. Read here about some of the benefits – both expected and unexpected – districts across the country experienced when implementing free meals for all.

English

Spanish

Portuguese

Haitian Creole

Chinese

Each year MASFEC conducts a survey of families and educators in Massachusetts. Our 2022 results will offer a snapshot of relationships between families and schools in Massachussetts. We look forward to sharing the results with you. 

Our Career and Technical Education outreach toolkit was developed in response to focus groups, interviews, and surveys of language-diverse Massachusetts families that found that almost half of non-English speakers were unaware of Career and Technical Education. You may distribute, print, modify, link, or reference our materials in any manner that will improve access to CTE. All materials are available in English, Haitian Creole, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, Spanish, and Vietnamese.

Check out the Toolkit!

Join MASFEC for an in-depth exploration of the Massachusetts statewide framework for family engagement and learn how to bring this training back into your school, district, organization or community.

MAFEC’s three-day Training of Trainers (ToT) will be offered three times in English and one time in Spanish this school year.

November 8, 9, and 10 from 1-4pm – in English

December 7, 8, and 9 from 1-4pm – in Spanish

February 8, 9, 10 from 1-4pm – in English

March 15, 16, 17 from 1-4pm – in English

Learn more and register for Strengthening Partnerships here!

Special Education Surrogate Parents (SESPs) use their knowledge of the IEP process to support students whose parents are unable to do so. If you want to make a difference in the life of a student in your community, consider becoming a SESP today!

Learn more about becoming a SESP here. 

The Massachusetts Reframing Academy will take place through four interactive virtual sessions, ten online training modules, and completion of a course journal. Each module breaks down specific problems that stand in the way of communicating effectively about family engagement. Through discussion and independent reflection, participants learn and practice research-backed communication strategies that solve those problems and change the way people think about family engagement. The program begins in January 2023. You can sign up now!

Learn more about the MA Reframing Academy here!