Integrating Family Engagement Into School Improvement: The Boston Model

Expanding Family Engagement Through Coordinated District Strategies

Building on the success of the Office of Family and Student Engagement (OFSE) and Family and Community Outreach Centers (FCOCs), Boston Public Schools (BPS) have also implemented aligned strategies that integrate these efforts into the district’s broader academic and equity goals. A key development is the integration of family engagement into school improvement plans (SIPs). Principals are now tasked with outlining how they will engage families to support student achievement. This requirement ensures that family engagement is not treated as a standalone initiative but rather as a critical component of instructional leadership and school accountability. It also aligns with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's guidance on family engagement as a driver of student success and school improvement¹.

Another practical step has been the use of family liaisons in schools, who act as cultural brokers and communication facilitators between families and educators. These positions, often filled by individuals from the local community, are crucial in addressing language barriers, cultural misunderstandings, and trust gaps. By being present in the school daily and accessible to families, liaisons help personalize outreach and ensure that families feel welcomed and heard. Research shows that when schools hire dedicated staff to focus on family partnerships, student attendance improves, and disciplinary incidents decrease, particularly in schools serving high-poverty communities².

Professional Development and Capacity Building for Educators

Another essential component of BPS’s family engagement efforts has been a strong emphasis on professional development. The OFSE offers ongoing training to educators focused on building relational trust with families, understanding diverse cultural norms, and engaging in two-way communication. These sessions are often co-facilitated by family members who share their lived experiences, helping educators gain authentic insight into the communities they serve. This peer-informed learning model has increased empathy and improved communication between school staff and families³.

Additionally, BPS has developed a “Family Engagement Toolkit” that school leaders can use to guide staff development and planning. The toolkit includes sample communication plans, event templates, feedback forms, and guidance on how to evaluate engagement activities for effectiveness. By equipping schools with concrete tools and frameworks, the district encourages a consistent approach across schools while allowing room for site-specific customization. A 2022 evaluation of the toolkit’s use found that schools with high implementation fidelity reported increased family participation in instructional activities, such as academic nights and student-led conferences⁴.

Leveraging Data to Strengthen Family-School Collaboration

BPS has also advanced their family engagement work by incorporating data collection and analysis into their strategy. Through annual family surveys and feedback loops, the district gathers information on families’ perceptions of school climate, communication effectiveness, and opportunities for involvement. These survey results are disaggregated by race, language, and neighborhood to identify patterns and inform targeted responses. For example, when data showed that Somali-speak