Tips For Improving Family Engagement Through School-Home Communication

By Dr. Kara Stern • 2 min

Communication,Community Building,Family Engagement,K-12,School Districts

Published March 11, 2024 on TeachThought

Recognizing school/home communication’s profound impact on student success and well-being is crucial.

We need to understand school communication as much more than disseminating information—it’s an integral pillar supporting student achievement, as fundamental as curriculum and instruction. Effective school/home communication is essential to an educator’s strategy to nurture student success.

Elevating School/Home Communication: A Vital Component of Family Engagement

The Impact of School/Home Communication

School/home communication shapes a student’s educational experience and overall well-being. Research consistently demonstrates that students with actively engaged families exhibit higher academic achievement, improved attendance, enhanced social-emotional development, and higher graduation rates.

The collaborative efforts between educators and families create a supportive environment, fostering a sense of belonging and motivation crucial for sustained success. It bridges the gap between what happens in the classroom and a student’s life at home. When home adults are informed and involved, students receive consistent support across various aspects of their development.

Beyond Communicating Information

To truly understand the importance of family engagement, it’s essential to recognize that communication isn’t an isolated event—it’s a continuous, integral component of the entire learning process. When families actively participate in their child’s education, they become partners in the learning journey.

Effective school/home communication plays a pivotal role by fostering collaboration between educators and families. It bridges the gap between what happens in the classroom and a student’s life at home. When home adults are informed and involved, students receive consistent support across different aspects of their development.

Truly useful communication ensures that educators and families are on the same page, working together to create a nurturing, holistic environment where students can thrive academically and personally. In this way, school/home communication is as integral to a child’s learning and development as curriculum and instruction.

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Dr. Kara Stern
Director, Education and Engagement

Dr. Kara Stern began her career as an ELA teacher, then shifted into administration as a middle school principal. Dr. Stern is a fervent advocate for equitable communication and family engagement. She spent five years as Executive Director at Math for America, where she designed the professional learning community that exists to this day. An unexpected move to Tel Aviv launched her into the world of EdTech where she became the Director of Education Content for Smore and then the Head of Content at SchoolStatus. Outside of work, she indulges her love for reading, devouring two novels weekly, with a particular fondness for heists and spy stories.