Family Engagement
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Description: This includes contact information for the School Liason(s) for Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Coast Guard and National Guard personnel.
Description: The Virginia Department of Education's Family Engagement Network (FEN) is a group of professionals from local school divisions, university training and technical assistance centers, state agencies, and other organizations whose purpose is to foster family involvement and engagement in education, especially for children with disabilities. The FEN has created four new resources for military-connected families of students with disabilities. These three one-pager resources, as well...
Description: A Family's Guide to Building Family-Teacher Communication and Relationships - Positive parent-teacher relationships matter. They don’t come by chance, but by intention from all parties. This guide offers practical advice on: Cultivating Positive Parent-Teacher Relationships Supporting the Classroom Learning Culture Having Effective Parent-Teacher Conferences
Description: Partnering with Your School - As a parent, you are your child’s first and most important teacher. When your child enters school, you and the school become partners in what you both envision will be the successful development and education of your child. Years of research show that the more families are actively involved in the education of their children, the more successful the child will be in school and in life. This article contains tips for creating a positive and productive...
Description: Parent & Caregiver Resources for Virginia Assessments - Engaged parents and caregivers are a critical part of a child’s successful learning experiences. Reading with students and talking about what is being read is important to the development of strong readers. Talking about and doing math within the family is a great way to engage students and encourage success. Some of the many online resources available for reading, mathematics, science, and history and social science are...
Description: Engaging families of children with disabilities is essential to supporting children’s learning and development. It is rooted in foundational Head Start resources, including the Parent, Family, and Community Engagement (PFCE) Framework and Relationship-based Competencies to Support Family Engagement. Learning about the hopes and goals of families of children with disabilities is important. It is equally crucial to communicate to families in culturally and linguistically responsive and...
Description: The Virginia Concussion Initiative (VCI) aims to protect and support all young minds by sharing knowledge, tools, and practical guidance that promotes the tailored implementation of concussion best practices in homes, schools, and communities. VCI Resource Library- Whether you want to learn about reducing concussion risk, helping a child recover from a concussion, or improving your concussion program, VCI has resources to meet your needs. The VCI Resource Library contains resources based...
Description: Building Authentic School-Family Partnerships Through the Lens of Social and Emotional Learning - The SEL Innovations series aims to help the field imagine new, more expansive and equitable approaches to SEL and wellness to ensure that all children, adolescents, and adults feel safe, supported, and seen so that they can thrive. This report focuses on the conditions and guiding actions to foster authentic school-family partnerships.
Description: Email and Letter Templates - It is very important, when expressing concerns about your child’s educational services or when requesting something from the school division, that you do so in writing. That way, you have a record of your request. Sometimes it can be hard to know exactly what to include in your communication with the school division. To make things easier, PEATC has developed a series of sample emails/letters in a variety of areas that you can use as the basis for your...
Description: The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) has recently developed a new resource for families whose children are being placed in a private day school by their Individualized Education Program (IEP) Teams.
Description: This Special Education Mediation Toolkit is a guide for helping parents in Virginia understand the Special Education Mediation Process for Dispute Resolution. Mediation is a dispute resolution process that can be less adversarial than filing an administrative special education complaint or filing for a due process hearing. Mediation is a tool that parents can use if they believe that their rights or their child’s rights have been violated under federal or...
Description: Families, especially those who have a loved one on the DD waiver waiting list, are encouraged to apply. After a one-year pause, they are recruiting for Regional Individual and Family Support Program (IFSP) Councils.
Description: Families can participate in Person-Centered Planning activities, with or without Division of Services for People with Disabilities (DSPD) services, to create a vision of a good life using tools from Charting the LifeCourse. We have created a video series that demonstrates how families can use the Life Trajectory, the Life Domain Vision Tool, and the Integrated Supports Star tools to create a vision for a good life for their loved ones with disabilities.
Description: These specific tips can help parents/families make the most of their role as parent and partner during secondary transition planning.
Description: Resources for Educators, Resources for Families and Caregivers, Resources for Spanish Speakers - What is Unstuck? A curriculum and a set of easy to use tools that employ cognitive behavioral techniques to improve flexibility, planning and organization. Unstuck consists of small group lessons and simple, everyday strategies that build a common language for better regulation of feelings, behavior and thinking. Who is Unstuck for? Does it Work? Unstuck is for school-age youth...
Description: The Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center (PEATC) announces the publication of its latest parent-friendly resource, their Special Education Complaint Toolkit. This toolkit provides detailed information on everything you need to know about why, when, and how to file a state complaint and it helps you prepare for the process. This interactive toolkit has been reviewed by the Office of Dispute Resolution in the Department of Special Education and Student...
Description: Families are a child’s first teacher and an essential factor in the cultivation of social and emotional competencies throughout a child’s life. When schools and families work together, they can build strong connections that reinforce social-emotional skill development. In fact, research suggests that evidence-based SEL programs are more effective when they extend into the home. This discussion series was developed to support schools and community partners that wish to engage parents...
Description: Virginia Parent Teacher Association (PTA) is the largest and oldest non-partisan volunteer child advocacy association in Virginia with more than 175,000 members across more than 950 of Virginia's schools Chartered by the National PTA in 1921, the primary goal of the Virginia PTA is to strengthen our schools and communities through parent and family involvement and to advocate for resources and funding to enable the academic success, health and well-being of ALL children in the Commonwealth. PTA...
Description: Why Self-Care Is Essential to Parenting What you will learn: What are the symptoms of caregiver burnout? What can parents do to take care of themselves? What is “respite care” and how can parents find out more about it? ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center They assist and promote the development of quality respite and crisis care programs, help families locate respite and crisis care services, and serve as a strong voice for respite in all forums. How Parent Support...
Description: The importance of parental engagement in school is well documented. Over forty years of research shows that one of the most effective ways to increase student achievement is for parents to be actively involved in the education of their children. The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) encourages family and community involvement in schools for all students including students with disabilities. Check out the following links for resources: Center for Family Involvement (VCU,...
Description: View Archived Webcast: Engaging Families in Transition Planning - In this webcast, Tammy Burns, PEATC, will discuss the role of parents in planning for their child's future. She will review the concepts of family engagement and family involvement and provide examples of each. She will also discuss ways in which the family has an impact on student outcomes. Finally, Tammy will identify the benefits of transition planning and provide tips for practitioners. Learning...
Description: This informative article, shared in the CASD CHAT E-Newsletter, was written by recent VTAC/CAR graduate, Dr. Ashley Muskett, a clinical psychologist specializing in the assessment and treatment of autism in children.
Description: This was developed in collaboration with Raise The Bar. Parents learn what a growth mindset is, why it’s important, and best practices to support their children in developing this learning belief.
Description: Self-advocacy is an important skill for even young kids to develop. But sometimes it’s hard for grade-schoolers to know what to say. Here are some sentence starters you can teach kids with dyslexia to practice so they can speak up for what they need.
Description: Before they start school, most children develop an understanding of addition and subtraction through everyday interactions. Learn what informal activities give children a head start on early math skills when they start school.
Description: The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) provides eligible households up to $30/month off internet bills (or $75/month on Tribal lands), as well as a one-time $100 discount off a laptop, tablet, or computer. You can sign up at Get Internet. Nearly 40 percent of United States. households qualify for ACP, but millions of families have yet to claim their benefit. Households are eligible if they make up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level ($55,500 for a family of four), and are also...
Description: A child’s social, emotional, cognitive, and academic development is strengthened when educators and families work together. When a child sees a positive relationship developing between educators and family, the child recognizes that the important people in his or her life are working together and trust each other, and he or she will do the same. This collaboration also provides a strong foundation for communication about children’s learning. To foster family involvement, interactions...
Description: Emergency Communication Boards (Chileda Institute) Paramedic & Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Symbol Board (Widget Health) Emergency Chat Google App Developing Positive Interactions for People with Developmental Disabilities and First Responders, Police, and the Justice System: A Guide for People with Developmental Disabilities and Their Loved Ones (Updated November 2020) (The Arc of Northern Virginia)
Description: Schools can provide parents and caregivers with information about essential services that help their children achieve success. There is a positive relationship between family engagement and student performance in school. When families are actively engaged in their children’s academic career, their children are more likely to do well in areas such as academic performance and school behaviors, and to have a positive attitude toward school.
Description: What you'll learn from this article: How are ADHD and substance abuse in teenagers connected? Why do teenagers with ADHD use drugs? Are ADHD medications connected to substance abuse? How can parents help teenagers with ADHD avoid substance abuse?
Description: The teenage years have a lot in common with the terrible twos. During both stages our kids are doing exciting new things, but they’re also pushing boundaries (and buttons) and throwing tantrums. The major developmental task facing both age groups is also the same: kids must pull away from parents and begin to assert their own independence. No wonder they sometimes act as if they think they’re the center of the universe. This makes for complicated parenting, especially because teens...
Description: Mental Health Disorders and Teen Substance Use What you'll learn from this article: Why is substance use more dangerous for teens with mental health disorders? Why do teens with mental health disorders use substances? Why does substance use make a mental health disorder worse? Experts note that to encourage teens to reduce or stop substance use, it’s important give them other coping strategies to manage their problems without turning to substances.
Description: Toolkit for Schools: Engaging Parents to Support Student Health and Emotional Well-being - This toolkit was created to help raise parent awareness about school connectedness and its role in supporting student health and emotional well-being, and why family engagement both in and out of school is important. It is a resource for CDC Healthy Schools partners, education leaders, and other collaborators. Partners and schools can use this toolkit to let parents know how healthy and supportive school...
Description: Many decisions that impact students are made by local school boards. As has been observed during the COVID-19 pandemic, many of these decisions and their resulting consequences significantly impact students with disabilities. The toolkit provides tips and resources to help advocate to the local school board, including learning about issues, identifying decision makers, knowing the process, and messaging.
Description: Digital Portfolio for Families - PEATC’s Digital Portfolio allows parents and guardians of individuals with disabilities the ability to organize personal, educational, medical, and legal information and documentation in a portable digital format. The portfolio provides users with easy access, reduced stress, no more binders, and less paperwork to store. Digital Portfolio for Military Families - PEATC’s Digital Portfolio for Military Families allows service members the ability to keep...
Description: View OCR Video Series on Accessibility - The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights announces a video series covering a variety of topics on digital access in education, including how people with disabilities use technology, applicable Federal regulations, and identifying and remediating barriers to access. Whether you are in the educational field or not, these videos have wide ranging coverage for those who want to know: What makes technology accessible for...
Description: A Student Profile is a way for you to introduce your child to new teachers, related service providers, administrators, and others with whom she will come into contact. By completing the Student Profile every year, you can provide information about your child’s strengths, challenges, and successes. The Student Profile will help everyone see the positive traits that he/she brings to school and where he/she needs help. Of course, you can’t list everything about your child so pick the...
Description: Ready Regions will bring unprecedented levels of coordination, accountability, and family engagement to early education programs in every community in the Commonwealth. Starting in 2022, Ready Regions will help every Virginia community to be: Accountable. Virginia’s early education system must prepare children for success. Parent-centered. Families must be engaged in designing a system that works for them. Responsive. Parents must be able to choose the child care they want and need....
Description: TransCen On-Demand Webinars are designed to translate research and effective practices into useable, practical information, making it easier for participants to put knowledge into action. Depending on the topic, our webinars assist vocational rehabilitation staff, policymakers, researchers, individuals with disabilities and their families, educators, practitioners, service providers, and employers. Captions are provided for both live and recorded sessions. Special pricing is available for groups...
Description: The California Healthy Minds, Thriving Kids Project features a series of free videos and print resources for parents, educators and students, all available in English and Spanish. Developed in partnership with the state of California, this project promotes children’s emotional health and teaches essential coping skills through five topics. The videos feature the voices and lived experiences of caregivers, teachers and kids today. Videos for the elementary school age group use a whimsical...
Description: Read with ASL videos encourage ASL and ESL learning! Real-life images give full context to bilingual viewing experiences. Deaf American Sign Language presenters, voice-overs, and on-screen sentences bring access. Read with ASL videos are fun for all ages!
Description: Beginning in the 2021-2022 school year, the portfolio-based Virginia Alternate Assessment Program (VAAP) will be replaced with a new multiple-choice assessment in the content areas of reading, mathematics, and science that will be administered to students in an online or paper format. The new VAAP will be based on academic content standards derived from the Standards of Learning (SOL) in reading, mathematics, and science that have been reduced in depth, breadth, and complexity. These...
Description: Formed Families Together group,for adoptive and foster parents and kinship caregivers, are led by trained Formed Families Forward staff and volunteers who have first-hand lived experience raising children, youth and young adults with special needs. Our youth and young adult Stronger Together group is designed for teens and young adults age 14-22 who have lived experiences in one or more service systems such as: Social services (foster care, child welfare, family services) Special education...
Description: The Disability Information and Access Line (DIAL) helps people with disabilities get connected to information about local community resources that support independent living. Launched in 2021 to help disabled people access COVID-19 vaccinations, DIAL also provides information about essential services such as transportation, housing support, disability rights, and more. Call or send a text message to 888-677-1199 Monday-Friday from 8am to 9pm (Eastern) or email DIAL@usaginganddisability.org...
Description: This guide will provide school leaders with research-based knowledge and resources related to language access, qualifications of interpreters and translators, and sustainable options to ensure equity in communication.
Description: Mental Health Virginia (MHV) is a partner with other agencies providing a peer-run warm line specifically for those struggling with addiction in the Richmond area, their loved ones, and others to talk with trained individuals who have lived experience in addiction recovery. This Warm Line, part of the Alive RVA program, is open 7 days/week, 8 AM – Midnight. The addiction recovery line supports MHV’s statewide peer-run warm line by specializing in recovery from opioids and other...
Description: Transition planning is used to describe the very intentional, organized and coordinated process of guiding young people with disabilities with education, experiences, supports and services to help them have successful and meaningful lives beyond high school. It is planning that begins with the end in mind. While IDEA mandates specific documentation of transition planning and services in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) for students with disabilities ages 16 and older, the mandated age...
Description: Mastery of early math concepts is associated with such later achievements as middle school grades, high school graduation, and career opportunities (Garcia & Weiss, 2017). Given the importance of early math, REL Appalachia created the Community Math Night Facilitators' Toolkit as a detailed resource for K–5 elementary school educators to plan and implement a Community Math Night event. Community Math Nights use research-based, interactive math activities to engage families in building...
Description: The average teenager spends nearly 40 hours a week on social media. The popularity of social media and increased student access to the internet has led to some dangerous trends wherein youth try to complete a variety of online challenges. Students are frequently exposed to these challenges via their phones and other electronic devices and watching these challenges can become extremely addictive. These trends have emerged on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Reports of "TikTok Challenges"...
Description: In this video, Arlington Public Schools AAC Implementation Coaches Brittany Thomas and Erin Tokajer, and Arlington parents Janna Dressel, Brandi Horton and Cecilia Kline, share strategies on supporting AAC use in the home setting.