Supporting Student Learning and Well-Being Through School, Home, and Community Partnerships
Our family and community engagement services support school, district, and state partners in developing effective home-school-community partnerships that transform school culture and advance student learning and well-being.
We help you focus on developing trusting relationships with parents and families by linking family engagement efforts to student learning and school improvement priorities. Our approach builds the capacity of teachers and leaders to genuinely collaborate with families and communities.
With our support, family engagement events are elevated and deliver information, tools, and strategies that help families support and monitor their child’s learning. Services can be delivered on site, virtually, or through a hybrid approach.
What is APTT?
Academic Parent-Teacher Teams (APTT) at WestEd increases communication and collaboration between teachers and families to support improvement of student outcomes using an evidence-based and research-based model. Through professional development and technical assistance, we prepare educators to transform the way families participate in advancing their child’s learning. Participating educators explore up-to-date research on family engagement and apply evidence-based practices in the classroom with families.
In addition to our work with schools and district leaders, our teams collaborate with State Education Agencies to advance high-impact family engagement policies and practices that advance student learning and wellbeing at a large scale. Our state services are customized and support systemic change by building capacity at the state level and in the field. Learn more about Academic Parent-Teacher Teams.
Our Work in Action
A New Mexico District is All In With Implementation of Academic Parent-Teacher Teams (APTT)
Over the last four years, WestEd helped a New Mexico district reimagine a better way for parents and families to participate and contribute to student learning and school improvement. The district identified our APTT family engagement practice as a school-wide, data-driven support system to develop the capacity of educators and families to work as a team.
To support the district, we led yearly professional development for all educators, provided grade-level coaching sessions to ensure teacher preparation and confidence in facilitating classroom family meetings.
Our team also held leadership sessions to share progress and identify opportunities for improvement.
Our impact: families in the district are more informed and equipped to support their child’s learning and teachers have the capacity to form strong bonds and partnerships with families.
Our experience with WestEd and Academic Parent-Teacher Teams has changed the way I feel about engaging our families. Rather than focusing almost exclusively on community-building events, I see family engagement events as an opportunity to include our families as partners in helping students to reach their learning goals.
Katie May, Principal