Family and Community Engagement
Neighborhood public schools belong to their communities. The strength and vitality of any community is, in part, dependent upon the strength of its schools. And the reverse is true.
Effective community engagement builds partnerships based on respect and a shared goal of academic success for every child. It depends on the meaningful integration of community members and parents into the decision-making processes of schools.
IDRA’s model for family leadership involves building strong family-educator partnerships to improve schools and raise students’ academic achievement.
Education CAFE
The successful IDRA Education CAFE model illustrates how to conduct authentic family engagement and support family leadership in education. This video presents key elements and information for schools and community organizations that are interested in carrying it out locally.
Family Engagement Toolkit
Few people question the value of parents being involved in schools. But many school leaders labor with traditional strategies that have little meaning or success. Families can be their children’s strongest advocates for promoting quality neighborhood schools and to ensure excellent academic instruction – where children are safe, happy, learning and engaged. This IDRA Family Engagement – Online Web-based Technical Assistance Toolkit is designed to provide educators tools for embracing what, for many, is a new vision for engaging with families and community members.
Ventanilla de Orientación Educativa (VOE)
IDRA and the Consulate General of Mexico in San Antonio are partnering to help Mexican and Mexican American families navigate the U.S. education system and learn about important educational opportunities in both countries. The program, called Ventanilla de Orientación Educativa (VOE), provides information on the civil rights of immigrant and emergent bilingual students, local educational services, and resources on how to access and succeed in college.
Southern Education Equity Network (SEEN)
IDRA’s Southern Education Equity Network (SEEN) is a virtual platform that brings together educational equity organizations and coalitions, including critical advocacy and family engagement partners like the Georgia Youth Justice Coalition and ARISE Adelante in south Texas. SEEN provides advocacy tools, policy resources, and collaborative spaces, and houses our school resource hub that provides curated and original curriculum and instructional resources for educators, students and families to address the chilling effects of censorship policies.
