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Establishing and developing ties to the community and culture can help innovative schools foster environments centered on inclusiveness, innovation, and productive relationships. Creating explicit and implicit practices, norms, rules, and ways of working across students, staff, families, and communities at large can support this complex work.

Below, find strategies and resources for:

  • Student Culture
  • Staff Culture
  • Systems Building
  • Parent Engagement
  • Community Engagement
Student Culture
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Advice: Community Collaboration for School Innovation

A community engagement toolkit
Close-up on a handshake

Trailblazer Elementary School

Trailblazer Communications Plan

Creating Transparency and "Seeing is Believing" Tours
Teacher works with students on project in classroom

Using Data to Advocate for Students with Learning Differences

Strategically using data to understand and support students with learning differences, inside and outside the classroom
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Metro Nashville Public Schools

Technical Support Centers for Families

Creating technical support centers to support students and families during remote learning
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Colorado Springs School District 11

"Listening Sessions" for Building Trust and Open Communication

A monthly community forum hosted by central office staff on Facebook Live
Student works with parent, smiling at laptop

NYC School Without Walls

NYC School Without Walls' Approach to Student and Family Engagement

How one hybrid program fostered student and family engagement in a virtual setting
A woman and a girl sitting at a table with a laptop

Hilltown Cooperative Charter Public School

Gathering Family Feedback on Edtech Usage

Strengthening the home-school connection through awareness, accessibility, and technical training around edtech tools
Photo of group of students working on laptops at classroom table

Lindsay High School

Lindsay Unified's Community Wi-Fi

Establishing community-wide Wi-Fi to enable 24/7 access for all Learners
image of Leveraging-Local-Media-to-Communicate-with-Multilingual-Families.png

Ector Country Independent School District

Leveraging Local Media to Communicate with Multilingual Families

Reaching all families by sending messages through diverse channels
Map of icons linked together with arrows, conveying a network of ideas in education

Guide: Communications Planning for Innovation in Education

A how-to guide with real-world district examples and tools
Meeting of people convenes at large conference table, people talking amongst each other

Activity: Reflect on Equity in Your Process

Take time to step back and reflect on how equitable your design process has been
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School District of Cudahy

High-Frequency Communications with Staff

Take a proactive approach and establish multiple communication channels
image of Building-Multilingual-Systems-of-Support-and-Engagement-for-Parents.png

Meriden Public Schools

Building Multilingual Systems of Support and Engagement for Parents/Guardians

Providing multilingual support to engage parents/guardians in their child’s remote learning experience
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Activity: Conduct Empathy Interviews with Stakeholders

Seek to understand the experiences of people in your district through personal interviews
Educator presenting on stage in front of blue background, gesturing to crowd

Advice: Targeted Messaging

How to develop key messages for stakeholders around blended and personalized learning
A man sitting at a desk writing on a piece of paper

The Forest School

Family Feedback

Collecting opinions and suggestions from families to improve students’ learning experiences
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Activity: Making Sense of Empathy Interviews

Tell stories and find themes from empathy interviews
Family uses laptop together, smiling

Madison Promise Online Program

Madison Promise Online Program's Approach to Communication

How one virtual school engaged families and set expectations for virtual and hybrid learning
image of Parent-Square-for-Two-way-Communication.png

Meriden Public Schools

ParentSquare for Two-Way Communication

A tool for two-way parent/guardian and school communication
An man and his daughter looking at a tablet computer.

Accessing Student Data as a Family or Community Member for Advocacy

How family or community members can use student data for equitable advocacy
One person leads a discussion, holding paper in his hand and gesturing toward it with a pen while others look on

Activity: Reflect on Equity in Your Pilot

Take time to step back and ensure that your solution has the desired impact
image of Building-Consistency-in-Family-Engagement-Through-Common-Process-and-Tools.png

Cedar Rapids Community School District

Building Consistency in Family Engagement Through Common Process and Tools

Quarterly family phone calls to surface needs
Teacher stands in front of classroom, pointing to paper in his hand as students look on

Lovett Elementary School

Lovett’s Approach to Communications

Communications needs and goals evolved along with instruction
People sitting in a row, writing in notebooks

Activity: Reflect on Equity in Your Solution

Take time to step back and ensure that your proposed solution is an equitable one
Teacher sits with student at desk, looking down at work, overlaid by purple gradient text and a logo for the Foundation for Excellence in Education

Advice: Communicating about Competency-Based Learning

A state policy messaging toolkit
A woman sitting at a table in front of a group of parents and students

Gill-Montague Regional School District

Engaging Spanish-Speaking Families to Strengthen Edtech Implementation

Partnering with family liaisons to increase engagement and use of family-facing edtech tools
Teacher stands behind student on laptop at desk, looking over student's shoulder as she speaks

Advice: Device Expectations

Establish clear rules and procedures for devices