Building Partnerships Responsibly: Considering Culture in Family Engagement Among Latinx Immigrant Families

• In Event: Engaging Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Families

Abstract

Strong family-school partnerships are a key ingredient to promoting the success of immigrant students. The rising population of Latinx students in schools warrants a deeper understanding of how families who have recently immigrated to the United States prefer to engage with teachers and the school community. This qualitative study explores the lived educational experiences of Latinx immigrant families in early learning through the lens of family engagement and community cultural wealth (Yosso, 2005). By recognizing the strengths revealed by Latinx immigrant families—particularly through their family engagement practices—practitioners take a critical first step toward accepting educational responsibility and building stronger, more equitable family-school partnerships.

Authors

• Manuel E Marichal, University of Florida

• Agenia Delouche, University of Florida

• Tina Smith-Bonahue, University of Florida

• Erica D. McCray, University of Florida