Superintendent of Public Instruction James Lane said family engagement is more important than ever as many Virginia students continue to learn virtually due to COVID-19.
The state Board of Education has designated November and Family Engagement in Education Month and is encouraging school divisions to develop plans and policies to enhance parental engagement in their children’s schools.
“Family Engagement in Education Month is an opportunity to highlight the importance of engaging parents and families in the learning process, especially during this challenging school year when many of our students are learning from home because of the pandemic,” Lane said. “I encourage all of our school divisions to take time this month to recognize the critical role families are playing in keeping students engaged, and to support their efforts.”
The Virginia Department of Education is providing a collection of resources on family engagement from the Virginia PTA and other organizations to assist schools in planning events and supports for families.
Research has shown that meaningful two-way communication and collaboration between schools and families result in more positive attitudes toward school, higher student achievement, better attendance, improved graduation rates and greater enrollment in post-secondary education.
