Framework for Building Partnerships Among Schools, Families, and Communities

One of the guiding priorities of the Department’s work is to promote student wellness through safe and supportive environments. Family engagement is a key component of student wellness, as strong partnerships between families and educators help ensure students feel supported and connected in every setting.

A Multi-Tiered Approach to Family Engagement 

Effective family engagement initiatives are balanced, equitable, reciprocal, and open partnerships that allow educators and families to share expertise and seek feedback in a mutually trusting way (Bachman and Boone, 2022). Using a multi-tiered systems approach does not mean families are assigned to tiers; rather, it equips schools to provide resources and supports to families at any stage of their journey. Communication and collaboration are key to this strategy. 

TIER 1: CORE SUPPORTS

Core supports are integrated into the school climate and culture, are accessible to all families, and encourage two-way communication. Such supports, including school climate surveys or family-teacher conferences, are available via schoolwide communication channels so families and students can access them easily.

TIER 2: TARGETED SUPPORTS

Targeted supports engage families with similar interests, families looking for more opportunities to get involved, or families who may experience barriers to engagement. These can include:

  • Offering virtual or phone conferences in place of the conventional family-teacher conference setting,
  • Contacting parents who have not completed the school survey to solicit their feedback, or
  • Hosting informal events like “Coffee with the Counselor” to create opportunities for two-way dialogue between families and staff.
Targeted supports respond to specific family needs or strengths, rather than offering a one-size-fits-all approach. 

TIER 3: INTENSIVE SUPPORTS

Schools implement intensive supports with a student’s or family’s individualized needs in mind. Regularly supporting and communicating with families and students who have individualized needs establishes a foundation for mutual trust and respect between families and school staff. Tier 3 supports can include home visits, individual check-ins, or providing families with space, resources, and guidance to plan initiatives like fundraisers.  
Learn more about Multi-Tiered Family Engagement, developed by The Ohio State University, on the Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center webpage, and visit the Department’s page about Ohio’s Integrated Multi-Tiered System of Supports to learn more about communication and collaboration within this framework.

Your School’s Family Engagement Plan

Family engagement plans are required to include:
  • An annual convening,
  • An explanation of requirements and rights of families involved, and
  • A family and school compact.
Plans may also address strategies for involving families in continuous program improvement and addressing feedback. Schools and districts may consider designing a plan that encourages consistent and effective communication between families and schools and communicates the importance of family involvement to student educational success. When creating a schoolwide family engagement plan, schools and districts can follow the guidelines below:
 
  1. Identify Family Engagement Needs. Effective engagement strategies may vary according to the school’s population. Schools can analyze the district’s family engagement data, including surveys or focus groups, to understand the needs of groups such as multilingual learners, students experiencing homelessness, or military-connected students.
  2. Prioritize Needs and Choose Goals. Rank needs identified from the district’s family engagement data and choose priorities to address that span different areas. Ensure the list includes needs that address a variety of issues such as student performance, school climate, and communication. Issues identified during the school improvement planning process should be represented in the family engagement planning process.  
  3. Define Supports for a Multi-Tiered Approach. Outline the types of support the school will offer within their tier 1, 2, and 3 approaches as defined above.
  4. Request Feedback from a Variety of Stakeholders. Convening meetings with families, community partners, and district partners to review the plan and provide feedback is helpful as a data collection and monitoring tool throughout the school year.

Schools with finalized plans can begin implementation and collaborate with families to address specific community needs. Consider including families and local stakeholders in conversations about attendance, student behavior policies, school climate and culture, schoolwide programming, or academic initiatives.  

Resources

Last Modified: 11/28/2025 12:49:32 PM