KB, Family/School Partnership in Education

The Board of Education believes that the education of each student is a responsibility shared in partnership between district and school personnel, parents, families, and community. Engaging parents, families, and the community is essential to student well-being and achievement. There is a need for a positive partnership between the district, parents, guardians, families, and the community that provides for multi-directional communication, engagement, and fosters educational stability and support for students, parents, and families. In this policy, and other district communications, the word “family” includes parents, guardians and trusted adults who partner with schools to support student growth, development, and learning.

Family and Community Engagement Definition: Families, students, district personnel, school programs, and community partners actively partnering to develop, implement, and evaluate effective culturally responsive, and equitable practices to improve education outcomes for children and youth.

The Thompson School District’s Family and Community Engagement Framework supports the following District priorities:

Increasing Student Achievement
Creating an Inclusive and Supportive Culture
Developing Human Talent
Ensuring Strong Stewardship of Resources

In support of these listed priorities, it is the intention of the district and each of its schools to cultivate and support active, culturally responsive family engagement as well as to set and realize goals for parent- and family-supported student learning by aligning with the Parent Teacher Association’s (PTA) National Standards for Family-School Partnerships; the Head Start Parent, Family, and Community Engagement Framework; and the Colorado Department of Education’s Family, School, and Community Partnership (FSCP) P-12 Framework.

To that end, all district schools and programs will:

Create inclusive school facilities, through intentionally inclusive school culture and climate that honors and respects the diversity and lived experiences of students, parents, guardians, families and community partners.
Invest in building respectful, trusting, and equitable relationships to strengthen the partnership between students, parents, guardians, families, community partners, school personnel and district staff regarding educational outcomes for children and youth.
Consult with and encourage students, parents, guardians, families, and community partners to share in school and district planning and in the setting of goals by participating in school and district accountability committees.
Collaborate with students, parents, guardians, families, and community partners through on-going, meaningful, multidirectional communication to build a shared understanding of the educational process and the role of trusted adults in supporting student achievement.
Communicate in multiple languages and on an on-going basis with students, parents, guardians, families, and community partners about school programs, school choice, and learning opportunities within the district and at each school, including but not limited to, information on choice enrollment, choice programs, and charter school options.
Provide opportunities for students, parents, guardians, families, and community partners to be informed about student progress toward attaining proficiency on state and district academic standards through written materials in their preferred language and through public meetings and conferences. Students, parents, guardians, families, and community partners receive information that explains how student progress will be measured and how stakeholders will be informed of such progress. This information will also be provided to the school and district accountability committees.
Encourage and welcome family and community volunteers in school and district programs.
Encourage the formation of formal and informal stakeholder groups at each school building and at the district level to network, support, provide, and receive information concerning district, school, and community activities including opportunities for input into district and school decisions as appropriate.
Provide multiple avenues for students, parents, guardians, families, and community partners to find support in their roles while partnering with schools and the district.

Professional Development

The Board supports professional development opportunities for staff to enhance their understanding of culturally responsive, effective, and equitable family and community engagement strategies.

Title I Parent, Family, and Community Engagement

The Board also recognizes the special importance of student, parent, guardian, family, and community engagement to the success of its Title I Program, the Migrant Education Program (MEP) and English Language Development (ELD) program. Therefore, the Board directs the superintendent to ensure that the district and schools jointly develop with parents, guardians, families, and the community written parent, family and community engagement policies that meet the requirements of federal law.

Point of Contact for Family and Community Engagement

The district will identify an employee of the district to act as the point of contact for family and community engagement training and resources. The identified person will also serve as the liaison between the district, the District Accountability and Advisory Committee (DAAC), the Colorado State Advisory Council for Parent Involvement in Education (SACPIE), and the Colorado Department of Education (CDE). The Point of Contact for Family and Community Engagement will facilitate the district’s culturally responsive and inclusive efforts to increase parent, guardian, family, and community engagement. The school district must submit the name of the identified employee to the CDE.

District Accountability and Advisory Committee

The District Accountability and Advisory Committee (DAAC) will conduct a periodic review of this policy. As part of its review the DAAC will seek input from school accountability committees and then provide any recommended policy revisions to the Board.

Adopted August 3, 1994
Revised September 1, 1999
Revised May 7, 2003
Revised September 18, 2013
Revised January 19, 2022

Legal References

C.R.S. 22-7-301 et seq. (measures to increase parental involvement in public education)
C.R.S. 22-7-304 (best practices and strategies, aligned with national standards for family-school partnerships)
C.R.S. 22-11-302 (1)(g) (duties of the district accountability committee including increasing parent engagement)
C.R.S. 22-11-402 (1)(h) (duties of the school accountability committee including increasing parent engagement.)
C.R.S. 22-30.5-109 (publicity regarding educational options)
C.R.S. 22-32-142 (1) (board must adopt parent engagement policy and identify district employee to act as “point of contact”)

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