Equitable Family Engagement Research
Overview
The U.S. Department of Education is funding VCU and two universities in Ohio and Connecticut to develop models of equitable family engagement using evidence-based practices that will improve the outcomes of today’s children with disabilities, families, and school personnel. We believe it is time for a new approach in Virginia to increase families' and caregivers’ capacity to help their youth with disabilities improve their school-aged learning and postsecondary outcomes. The Partnership for People with Disabilities’ Center for Family Involvement and our close partners, Formed Families Forward and the Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center will partner with educators and researchers from VCU and the Virginia Department of Education funded Training & Technical Assistance Center network and Virginia Tiered System of Support Research & Implementation Center. Components we are interested in testing in several high schools and middle schools in Virginia that we believe lead to equitable engagement with youth and their families include 1) community conversations, 2) family/educator collaborative learning on trauma-informed instructional family partnership practices, 3) Parent to Parent cultural brokering that builds family resilience, and 4) family training and leadership development that includes localization of information.
Major Activities
- To meet our goal of increased, enhanced, and equitable partnerships across schools, families, and community systems are in place that maximize a seamless experience and outcome for youth with disabilities as they transition to life after school, our objectives include:
- Objective 1: Infrastructure: A robust infrastructure co-led by families-educators-researchers is in place that ensures continuous improvement with administrative, fiscal and evaluation compliance.
- Objective 2: Capacity Changing Strategies: Families (particularly those identifying as BIPOC, military-connected and/or kinship) use evidence-informed information, skill building, and resources available to them to build their confidence in leading in partnership with schools in setting policy, making decisions and affecting the outcomes of their children.
- Objective 3: Capacity Changing Strategies: LEAs implement sustainable school policies, strategies, and practices that support the equitable partnership with underserved families of children with disabilities.
Target Audience
- Educators and families of middle and high school students with disabilities and those who are military connected
Funding Source
- U.S. Department of Education (USDOE)
Contact
Principal Investigator: Dana Yarbrough
Email: dvyarbrough@vcu.edu
Co-Principal Investigator: Paula Ogston-Nobile
Email: ogstonpl@vcu.edu
Co-Project Director: Kim Dupree
Email: duprekm@vcu.edu
Co-Project Director: Kris Herakovich-Curtis
Email: kherakovich@vcu.edu