Family and Community

What It Is

Behind every good student is a good family. That may not be the saying, nor may it always be true, but the basic sentiment is valid. Families and communities play an integral role in a student’s education, from providing support and guidance to offering new experiences and opportunities to lear.

Why It Matters

The role of the family and community in a child’s development greatly affects his or her success in school. More than 30 years of research shows that schools, families, and communities can make a difference in a student’s learning experience—especially when they work together to raise student achievement. When schools, families, and communities work together to support learning, children tend to do better in school, stay in school longer, and like school more.

What We Do

SEDL supports school, family, and community partnerships by establishing partnerships of our own to advance the changing role of families and communities in student learning that is being promoted by the No Child Left Behind Act. We also develop and distribute research-based resources and tools on school, family, and community partnerships to educators, family members, and community members.