A Model for Districtwide Family Engagement Capacity Building: The Case of Fayette County, KY Public Schools

A new study from NYU Metro Center shares results from the implementation of a program in Fayette County, Kentucky Public Schools (FCPS) designed to “unite and align the district-based Family and Community Engagement Team around a common vision for family engagement.” Results show that the program played an important role in shifting practitioner mindsets regarding the importance of effective two-way communication with families and providing families with more opportunities to collaborate with staff on their children’s education. More research is needed in the coming years to explore the impact of the program on student attendance and learning outcomes. The newly released case study is the result of a multi-year effort to gather data and insights into the FCPS districtwide Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Team and their implementation of the P-12 District Family Engagement Model developed by the National Center for Families Learning (NCFL). The model offers a holistic approach to family engagement that helps district-level staff design and implement a systemic and sustainable approach to establishing authentic relationships with families and partnering for student achievement. The model, evaluation, and report was funded through the Kentucky Department of Education’s ESSER Family Engagement Grant.