In many districts and schools, the membership of important groups, from the school board to the PTO, and the attendees of open houses, events, and other activities do not reflect the diversity of the student body. How can schools increase parent and family involvement, particularly among culturally diverse or non-English-speaking families? What are the typical barriers and how can schools overcome them? Portland Public Schools in Portland, Maine, serves more than 2,400 students, including 1,700 English-language learners, who come from homes in which approximately 60 different native languages are spoken—a situation that clearly makes family engagement particularly challenging. In this context, the district’s Multilingual and Multicultural Center works to empower learners by ensuring proficiency in English and other world languages, deepen appreciation and understanding of cultural identity, and build supportive relationships among families, educators, and the community.
In this workshop, participants will examine common teacher, staff, and parent expectations about family involvement, and how culture influences perceptions and understanding of the roles that parents, teachers, school leaders, and other staff can or should play the education of students. Participants will leave with practical strategies they can use to successfully reach out to, communicate with, and actively engage multilingual families in the life of the school, including those who are recent arrivals to the United States.
