What do effective school-family partnerships emphasize according to NASP?

Effective school-family partnerships emphasize joint problem solving and two-way communication as essential components for fostering a collaborative environment that supports student achievement. This approach encourages parents and educators to work together in addressing student needs, making shared decisions that directly impact the educational experience.

Joint problem solving allows families and schools to collaborate on strategies that enhance student learning and behavior, ensuring that solutions are tailored to the unique circumstances of each student. Two-way communication ensures that parents are informed and engaged, providing feedback and insight that can help school personnel understand the home environment, cultural contexts, and individual student challenges.

These partnerships cultivate a sense of trust and encourage engagement from both sides, which is critical for students’ academic and social-emotional development. This approach stands in contrast to measures focused on discipline, testing, or attendance, which do not inherently promote collaboration and mutual support between families and schools.