GAME CHANGER: Centering Families in the Educational Process

Abstract

According to Karen Mapp and Eyal Birgman, "A large amount of research supports the ideology that improved family-school relations can lead to improved interactions with the school." But unfortunately, the education system is structured to view parents as a necessary byproduct of students' learning journey versus viable partners in their child's educational process. Additionally, in many communities, non-dominant families are sometimes totally erased from their child's education experience. There are many reasons why this phenomenon is present in today's culture of learning and education. Some of the reasons range from the absence of trust between families and schools to varying mindsets about the purpose of education. My capstone examines the collaborative work I led in conjunction with my colleagues at The Leadership Academy and our partner organization, Learning Heroes. I examine 1. The development of family engagement strategies that involves every level of the educational system, including the district, schools, and families. 2. Liberatory design principles that center families as essential components of students' educational experience, and 3. Can non-profit organizations effectively partner to develop and scale products and services that benefit the educational ecosystem? Additionally, I examine the implications of this project: for me as a system-level leader, The Leadership Academy as a leadership development organization, and the education sector as a system filled with resources that can improve the educational trajectory for all students.