Family Engagement Resources

This page highlights websites, PDFs and videos related to family engagement, resources and support for educators, parents, guardians and families of children with disabilities. For additional related resources visit the California Department of Education Special Education Family Involvement and Partnerships page.

Websites

• Harvard Family Research Project
  Offers a variety of Web conferences, discussion boards, web chats, research reports, and a Family Involvement Network of Educators (FINE) newsletter supporting family engagement promising practices and policy.
  
  
• National Network of Partnership Schools John Hopkins University — Six Types of involvement: Keys to Successful Partnerships
  Printer friendly version of Joyce Epstein’s Parent Involvement/partnership model.
  
  
• Pacer Center
  Provides information for Educators, families, and their children or young adults with disabilities or special health care needs from birth through adulthood.
  
  
• The Center for Parent Information and Resources
  Find links to resources and products related to children with disabilities, NICHCY Legacy resources, as well as links to every state’s Parent Center.
  
  
• National PTA
  National organization site provides news and events, advocacy information, tool kits, and guidance for parents and teachers.
  
  
• National PTA — Special Ed Toolkit
  Educates families of newly diagnosed children with special needs on how to get the best special education, services and resources available to them.
  
  
• Zero To Three
  Includes articles on general parenting topics and Age-Based handouts from birth to 36 months.
  
  
• Flamboyan Foundation — Family Engagement Rubric
  A rubric that provides educators a vision for family engagement, helps teachers effectively plan, assists with teacher professional development and teacher reflection and self-assessment.
  
  
• School Community Network — Family Engagement Tool
  PDF booklet for a school team with a 2-year plan based on assessed needs and effect practice, with rich library of resources.
  
  
• Wrightslaw
  Provides information to parents, educators, and advocates about special education law, education law, and advocacy for children with disabilities.
  
  

PDFs

• National Network of Partnership Schools at Johns Hopkins University 129k PDF file
  
  
• Family Engagement Framework: A Tool for California School Districts - English 3.4MB PDF file
  
  
• Family Engagement on Education- Seven Principles for Success National Resource Center of Charter School 2.6 MB PDF file
  
  
• Building Blocks – A Down East Partnership for Children Newsletter 788k PDF file
  
  
• Family Engagement, Diverse Families, and Early Childhood Education Programs: An Integrated Review of the Literature NAEYC Research paper 216k PDF file
  
  
• Partnering with Families and Communities by Joyce Epstein and Karen Clark Salinas - Educational Leadership Volume 61, No 8 127k PDF file
  
  

Videos

• Dr. Joyce Epstein on Schools and Families
  
  
• The ABCs of Parent Involvement
  
  
• Increasing Parent Engagement through Absent Narratives
  
  
• SWIFT in 60: Trusting Family Partnerships
  
  
• SWIFT in 60: Trusting Community Partnerships