About the Book

How often do you hear, "The only parents who showed were the parents who didn’t need to be here."

But how often do you consider time of day, lack of child care, cost of dinner, transportation, lan­guage of the presentation, even relevance of the topic—all real-world barriers for families of our historically underserved students.

Here at last is a resource that will open up access and reveal all-new ways to forge more culturally inclusive partnerships with families and communities . . .  partnerships that extend well beyond parent-teacher conferences, PTA meetings, and the occasional bake sale.

The two big services Equity Partnerships provides? Using the Tools of Cultural Proficiency, you’ll

1. Discover new concepts and strategies to engage families and communities—and reduce, if not eliminate, barriers--through four essential principles: communication, connection, collaboration, and community
2. Engage in frequent opportunities to reflect on your own assumptions and values, then collaborate with colleagues to co-create systemic practices and policies for devising, implementing, and assessing family and community engagement actions in your schools and districts

We know inherently that family and community engagement is critical to the success of our stu­dents. Let Equity Partnerships be your go-to tool for breaking down the walls that for too long have limited all of us.

"Raising the next generation is a shared responsibility and privilege. These authors have been first responders for decades by pro­moting Cultural Proficiency as a means to ensure equity and access for all. In Equity Partnerships, they identify the powerful and critical link of family, school, and community engage­ment to strengthen families, build community support, and increase student success." 

--TRUDY ARRIAGA, Associate Dean for Equity and Outreach, California Lutheran University, and Coauthor of Opening Doors

Table of Contents:
FOREWORD BY TRUDY T. ARRIAGA ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ABOUT THE AUTHORS Introduction PART I. THE BASICS OF CULTURAL PROFICIENCY AND ENGAGEMENT CHAPTER 1. The Cultural Proficiency Framework: Tools for Family, School, and Community Engagement Overcoming the Barriers to Cultural Proficiency The Guiding Principles of Cultural Proficiency The Cultural Proficiency Continuum The Essential Elements of Cultural Proficiency The Family, School, and Community Engagement Rubric Going Deeper Reflection Going Deeper Dialogic Questions Summary Looking Ahead: Chapter 2 CHAPTER 2. The Why of Engagement Changing Times and Terminology Informed by Related Studies: From Strain to Inclusion What Parents Want to Know and What Parents Want Educators to Know Benefits of Partnering for All Family and Community Engagement and Link to Student Achievement Culturally Proficient Leadership and Engagement A Moral Imperative and Shared Responsibility for Creating Culturally Proficient Engagement Our Why Going Deeper Reflection Going Deeper Dialogic Questions Summary Looking Ahead: Chapter 3 CHAPTER 3. The Moral Imperative for Partnerships: Historical, Legal, and Educational Policy Contexts Family, School, and Community Engagement Has Evolved Over Time Twentieth Century and Beyond Federal and State Court Decisions and Legislative Actions That Foster Family, School, and Community Partnerships Educational Rationale for Family, School, and Community Engagement Importance of Educational Research in Building Family, School, and Community Engagement in Diverse Communities Going Deeper Reflection Going Deeper Dialogic Questions Summary Looking Ahead: Chapter 4 PART II. EMBRACING TO ENGAGE CHAPTER 4. How Cultural Proficiency Intersects With Family Engagement Alignments Cultural Proficiency’s Guiding Principles Provide a Moral Base for Essential Elements Using Our Assets of Moral Authority, Reflection, and Dialogue Guiding Principles of Cultural Proficiency: Surfacing Our Assumptions, Beliefs, and Values Being Intentional in Valuing Students’ Cultures as Assets Valuing Leads to Doing Constantino’s Five Simple Principles Dual Capacity-Building Framework Dialogic Questions Summary Looking Ahead: Chapter 5 CHAPTER 5. The 7 Cs of Engagement Collaboration Communication Caring Culture Community Connectedness Collective Responsibility Going Deeper Reflection Going Deeper Dialogic Questions Courageous Engagement Summary Looking Ahead: Chapter 6 PART III. FROM MARGINALIZATION TO INCLUSION CHAPTER 6. Barriers to Family, School, and Community Engagement Barriers to Cultural Proficiency Barriers to Family, School, and Community Engagement Author’s Analysis Using the Family, School, and Community Engagement Rubric Author’s Analysis Using the Family, School, and Community Engagement Rubric Author’s Analysis Using the Family, School, and Community Engagement Rubric Author’s Analysis Using the Family, School, and Community Engagement Rubric Going Deeper Reflection Going Deeper Dialogic Questions Summary Looking Ahead: Chapter 7 CHAPTER 7. The Guiding Principles Foster Essential Elements as Educator and School Action From Barriers to Constructive Action Essential Elements Essential Elements Essential Elements Essential Elements Going Deeper Reflection Going Deeper Dialogic Questions Summary Looking Ahead: Chapter 8 PART IV. COMMIT TO ACTION CHAPTER 8. The 8th C—Commit to Action Building Family and Community Capacity Using Pre-assessments to Get Started Planning to Plan From Negative to Constructive Your Cultural Proficiency Family, School, and Community Engagement Action Plan Components of a Culturally Proficient Family, School, and Community Engagement Plan Summary Looking Ahead: Chapter 9 CHAPTER 9. Resources: Culturally Proficient Planning for Inclusive Partnering and Capacity Building Resources: Inclusive Partnering and Capacity Building Learning Strategies Academic Parent-Teacher Teams (APTT) Parent/Family Universities Community-Based Organizing Efforts Resources: Technology Supported Strategies Resources: Practical Learning Strategies Summary Be Intentional About It RESOURCE A: BOOK STUDY GUIDE RESOURCE B: CULTURAL PROFICIENCY BOOKS’ ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS RESOURCE C: AUTHORS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND WEBSITES REFERENCES INDEX