Family engagement is a shared responsibility in which schools and other community agencies and organizations are committed to reaching out to engage families in meaningful ways in which families are committed to actually supporting their children’s learning and development.
Family engagement is continuous across a child’s life and entails enduring commitment but changing parent roles as children mature into young adulthood.
Effective family engagement cuts across and reinforces learning in the multiple settings where children learn – at home, in prekindergarten programs, in school, in after-school programs, in faith-based institutions, and in the community.
The family engagement definition was developed in 2010 by the National Family, School and Community Engagement Working Group with many members of which are now on the NAFSCE’s Board of Directors.
PEATC’s IEP Welcome Kit is a customizable resource designed specifically for school teams, including Parent Resource Centers and Family Engagement Offices. The kit is intended to help schools create a warm, welcoming experience for families new to special education and the IEP team.
There is also an instruction guide to help your team customize the materials to fit your school or division’s specific needs. By using this resource, schools can strengthen family-school partnerships and ensure families feel supported, informed, and included from the very beginning of their IEP journey.
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Bullying
About
Bullying, in any form, is a serious issue that affects both the victim and the perpetrator. Bullying poses a threat to the emotional and physical well-being of students and can adversely impact their academic performance. Cyberbullying amplifies these risks by using digital platforms to extend the reach and impact of bullying behaviors.
Bullying is defined as a form of youth violence and an adverse childhood experience (ACE). Bullying is any unwanted aggressive behavior(s) by another youth or group of youths who are not siblings or current dating partners that involves an observed or perceived power imbalance and is repeated multiple times or is highly likely to be repeated. Bullying may inflict harm or distress on the targeted youth, including physical, psychological, social, or educational harm.
Any child can be a victim of bullying or harassment. Still, research continues to show that children with disabilities are both more likely to be bullied or harassed and more likely to be seriously harmed by bullying. Unfortunately, children with disabilities may be less likely to seek help to stop bullying from happening.
The U.S. Department of Education defines disability harassment as conduct that intimidates a student due to their disability, creates a hostile environment, and interferes with or denies a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).
