Building Transformative Partnerships Among Schools, Families, and Communities: An Asset-Based Approach to Family Engagement in Urban Education

Abstract

Decades of research have documented the myriad benefits of strong family-school relationships, yet further investigation reveals a void in the ways family engagement frameworks and practices centre the sociocultural diversity of families in urban school communities. While conceptions of ‘parent involvement’ have expanded to more reciprocal language of ‘engagement,’ persistent structures and divergent perspectives among stakeholders have thwarted transformation. This chapter examines such conflicts in thought and agency, and then proposes an asset-based approach to more effectively sustain authentic home-school-community partnerships. Dissecting the major components of value, voice, and visibility, strategies and relevant examples from literature and personal experience are offered to guide initiatives aimed at simultaneously transforming the lives of students, families, and school communities.