Building Effective Family, School, and Community Partnerships

Preschool students and parents, first day of school

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Schools and districts support English Learners to achieve high academic standards and actively engage with parents, caregivers, and community members. Proactively addressing English Learner family questions and concerns and prioritizing student wellness (including mental health) helps students overcome barriers related to attendance, engagement, and academics.

Schools and districts may have a Family Communication Plan, which details how to communicate with all families. The required Language Usage Survey asks for the preferred language of communication for each family. Schools can use the results to provide families with information in a form that is understandable. Using the Language Usage Survey in this way helps schools and districts meet the civil rights obligation within the Dear Colleague Letter, Part J. Communication with families provides resources for schools and districts to create comprehensive, two-way communication practices to engage families of English Learners in supporting their childrenʼs learning at home and in school. 

Translation is the written interpretation of a text. Interpretation is the oral translation of a language and may be essential for families who are not literate in the home language. The school uses information from the language usage survey to ensure that families have access to information and communications about their children. The school provides needed translation or interpretation for families not fluent in English. The “I Speak…” Language Identification Guide from the Department of Homeland Security assists families in identifying their preferred language. Another guide is I Speak from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Teachers may need to work with administration to arrange for interpreters to attend important meetings, such as Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings and Parent-Teacher Conferences, to avoid misunderstandings.

Schools and districts can partner with a local agency to provide translation and interpretation services if they do not have employees who can provide these supports. When employees provide these supports in addition to their primary role, consider the additional workload. Develop a plan to support employees' competing obligations as they provide additional services. Communication with Families on the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce website contains local translation and interpretation services. Refer to the Family Roadmap which includes relevant translated resources designed for use with and by families. For additional guidance, reference the English Learner Toolkit Chapter 10, Tools and Resources for Ensuring Meaningful Communication With Limited English Proficient Parents.

Family engagement is based on the understanding that all families have strengths and resources to share that enrich the school and district. Views or concepts of family can differ across student populations based on various factors, including their background and family immigration patterns or history. Therefore, like other student populations, English Learners and their families may view family beyond the traditional sense of family (such as mother/father/siblings) and may include stepparents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, siblings, guardians, or caregivers who have taken responsibility for or contribute to the studentʼs wellbeing. In some cases, English Learners may be part of a blended or chosen family that includes biological relatives or non- biological caregivers.

Use community mapping to identify and connect with local organizations and services in your school or district.

Family, School, and Community Partnership: Action Activities

The Action Activities are designed to help build effective partnerships among families, schools, and communities. Encourage the school or district leadership team to reflect on current efforts. For each Action Activity, indicate the current situation and discuss how current practices might be improved. Each Action Activity consists of a series of indicators or examples. Assess status on each indicator/example.

The Action Activities include:   

  • Creating/Sustaining a Welcoming School Environment
  • Facilitating Interactive Information Sharing and Communication
  • Developing Parent Leadership, Representation, and Relationships
  • Engaging Families in Student Learning
  • Establishing School or District and Community Partnerships
  • Creating a Community Map

Download: Family, School, and Community Partnership Action Activities (Word) or Family, School, and Community Partnership Action Activities (PDF)

Strategies for Supporting Family, School, and Community Partnerships

The chart identifies common needs or concerns of English Learners and their families and strategies for how schools and districts can respond to meet their needs.

Consideration/Concern Potential Responses Alternative Responses
Meetings are scheduled during times that families are either working or caring for children. Provide meetings at multiple times of the day/week. Identify locations that are easily accessible for families. Ensure that interpreters are present. Provide childcare on-site during meetings. Conduct virtual meetings using a web conference platform with a parent liaison, bilingual parent, and/or interpreter. Record meetings for those who cannot attend the live session and distribute over accessible communication channels. Be available after a meeting or a recorded session.
Interpreters are needed for multiple languages. Have multiple meetings with different language groups on the same topic, with interpreters, native language parents/caregivers, and/or bilingual staff. Reach out to the community for native speakers who are bilingual and can serve as interpreters and/or translators. Conduct virtual meetings with interpreters and/or bilingual families where participants can ask questions and/or engage in discussion with native language support. Share concerns with administration for discussion and resolution.
Transportation is limited or not available for families to get to/from schools for meetings.  Find multiple locations within walking distance to hold meetings in the community. Offer carpools or school minivans for transportation. Student ambassadors can be available to sit with young children and play games while families meet.  Use technology to hold virtual meetings. 
Families are not receiving information about how Ohio schools work, ways to be involved, and/or who to call for assistance with questions. Convene a bilingual families’ advisory council that can conduct small group meetings to provide specific information about key curriculum, school rules, how to get involved in the school, and who to contact with concerns and/or to provide assistance. Translate information into multiple languages, particularly the school handbook. Include maps, curriculum references, rules, attendance policies, and illness reporting requirements including who to contact with questions and concerns.
Information is presented at a meeting, but families do not have an opportunity to ask questions or have their voices heard. Also, families may not be comfortable speaking or asking questions.

Redesign meetings in partnership with families, include a question-and-answer section with interpreters.
Set up small group dialogue opportunities after the information portion of the meeting. 
Ensure meetings are co-directed by a bilingual parent and a bilingual administrator/staff member. 

 Ensure virtual meetings have a section dedicated to parent questions, comments, and concerns either via chat or open mic time. Make interpreters available.
Schools and districts have an obligation to offer a formal program to students who are identified as English Learners. However, the learner may decline such services. Provide an orientation to the full program for English Learners, including a school tour (with student ambassadors). Make the orientation for newcomers be part of the intake process at the building level. Provide interpreters, paraprofessionals, and/or bilingual staff to help explain this information and the benefits of participation in an English Learner program. Give families ample opportunities to ask questions and address their concerns regarding the English Learner program. Provide information about the intake process for enrollment and school orientation through the Ohio EMIS (Educational Management Information System) in multiple languages explaining the English Learner program and how it does not replace the general education program or separate learners from their peers. Make this information available for parents/caregivers in multiple ways — on the website, mailed, handed to families at intake, in audio form as well as in an electronic format in multiple languages. 

This guidance is an adaptation of the California English Learner Implementation Guide and Toolkit for Administrators, Volumes 1-5, developed by Californians Together and written by Laurie Olsen. It is used under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license. Changes include rewriting to reflect the Ohio context and adding original material.

References Additional Resources

These resources aim to bolster academic, student wellness, and college and career outcomes for Ohio's English Learners. Resources were created through a collaborative effort between the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce and The Ohio State University's Center on Education and Training for Employment along with a dedicated group of family advocates, community leaders, school district staff, and teachers.

Last Modified: 3/7/2025 9:50:04 AM