Engaging Families to Support Students' Transition to High School: Evidence From the Field

• In Event: 31.091 - Roundtable Session 10
  In Roundtable Session: 31.091-11 - Engaging Students and Families to Impact Social Emotional Learning Outcomes

Abstract

This exploratory study addresses the challenge of declining family engagement at the critical transition to high school. We use survey data to examine whether and how middle grades and high schools are reaching out to engage families as their students transition to high school. Findings indicate that even among a group of schools actively implementing a systematic approach to engaging families, there remains considerable work to do in helping to equip these schools for engaging families during the critical transition to high school. Evidence from previous research suggests that this could increase the probability that ninth graders pass their courses and earn their credits to stay on-track to graduation during the critical first year of high school.

Authors

• Martha Abele Mac Iver, Johns Hopkins University

• Joyce L. Epstein, Johns Hopkins University

• Steven B. Sheldon, Johns Hopkins University

• Ean Fonseca, Johns Hopkins University