Researchers Karen Mapp and Anne Henderson reviewed more than 50 studies on parent, family, and community connections to schools. Their report, A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of School, Family, and Community Connections on Student Achievement, included the following ways that schools can help families develop their capacity to support their children's education:
- Engage parents at school so they understand what their children are learning.
- Give parents a voice in what happens to their children.
- Provide information about how to help their children at home, what their children need to learn, and how to plan for college, postsecondary education, and a career.
- Foster social connections among families and with teachers.
- Build families' understanding of the education system and how to guide their children through it successfully.
- Offer access to social services and community agencies.
- Identify and build on strengths in the community and among families.
