A school may need to change levels of support due to a school, family, student, or community issue because different families and students will have unique experiences and skills for adapting to those experiences. For example, a beloved teacher falling ill would create a need for support for all families, but families of students in her classes would need a higher level of support, and students on the team she coaches might need the highest level of support.
Schools should have decision indicators that provide a metric for when current practices are not enough or not a good fit. Supports and services for families at different tiers may result in a change in intensity, frequency, or a complete change of practice. The emphasis is on adapting our practices to engage every family, rather than expecting families to change to fit a single approach to family engagement.
No matter what, the central goal is to have a system of interventions, supports, and services in place to be responsive and supportive to each and every family in the school community. This type of proactive and responsive system contributes to the development of trusting relationships, fosters two-way communication, and aligns family engagement practices with supports for learner outcomes.
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