Family and Community Engagement

Oklahoma City Public Schools believes that family engagement  is an important aspect in students' academic success. Meaningful family engagement leads improved grades, higher test scores, lower drop-out rates, increased student confidence and a stronger sense of the value of education. The Family Engagement division is committed to supporting our schools and families to create meaningful partnerships that ensure student success at  all levels – district, school, and grade level.

At OKCPS, we are working hard to build a foundation that strengthens and supports the relationships and engagement levels between families, schools, the District and the community in order to provide a safe and nurturing environment for all students that supports academic achievement and social development. 

Building a foundation of significant and ongoing engagement requires the right mindset. 

The following core beliefs are the foundation for family engagement programming:

1. All families have dreams for their children and want the best for them.
2. All families have the capacity to support their children’s learning.
3. Families and school staff should be equal partners.
4. The responsibility for building partnerships between school and home rests primarily with school staff, especially school leaders.

By focusing on the following principles, schools will create an environment that will lead to meaningful partnerships with families and result in student success: 

Building Effective Two-Way Communication

Effective two-way communication relies on families and educators having a variety of ways to receive and discuss information about students’ progress within and outside of the school environment 

Strengthening Relationships

Strengthening relationships ensures that all members of the school community feel like valued contributors to students’ academic achievement and healthy development. 

Connecting Learning at Home and School

Families are essential partners in understanding and meeting the needs of their child and must know how their child is progressing in school and what they can do to support their child’s learning and development at home. 

At OKCPS, we have an imperative moral to change the odds for our students. We envision a future in which every student will graduate an accomplished, independent learner prepared to lead a choice-filled life. A future in which social factors do not predict student outcomes. Find out what our district is doing to provide high quality equitable education for our students.

Positive & Inviting School Climate

Each student, including students with higher needs and students of color, experiences a physically safe and emotionally supportive environment at school, including fair and consistent rules and discipline policies, positive relationships between staff and students that foster belonging, effective social-emotional learning opportunities, and meaningful family engagement that meets student needs so all students can reach high standards and thrive.

Oklahoma City Board of Education Policy I-14: Local Education Agency Parent & Family Engagement Policy

In support of strengthening student academic achievement, Oklahoma City Public Schools receives Title I, Part A funds and therefore must jointly develop with, agree on with, and distribute to parents and family members of participating children a written parent and family engagement policy that contains information required by Section 1116(a)(2) of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).  The policy establishes the LEA’s expectations and objectives for meaningful parent and family engagement activities.

Oklahoma City Public Schools (OKCPS) is committed to creating and promoting a “Great Culture” by partnering with families, communities, and the schools to support the academic success of all children by strengthening the engagement of families.  Programs and practices will be established to meet the diverse needs, languages, and cultures of children and families.  OKCPS recognizes the word “parent” also includes guardians and other family members that engaged in the child’s educational process.

OKCPS will put into operation programs, activities, and procedures for the engagement of parents and family members in all of its schools with Title I, Part A programs.  These programs, activities, and procedures will be planned and operated with meaningful consultation with parents and family members of participating children. Consistent with Section 1116, the district will work with its schools to ensure that the required school-level parent and family engagement policies meet the requirements of Section 1116(b) of the ESSA, and each include as a component a school-parent compact consistent with Section 1116(d) of the ESEA.

In carrying out the Title I, Part A parent and family engagement requirements to the extent practicable, OKCPS and its schools will provide full opportunities for the participation of parents with limited English proficiency, limited literacy, disabilities, who are economically disadvantaged, or are of any racial or ethnic minority background, including providing information and school reports required under Section 1111 of the ESSA in an understandable and uniform format including alternative formats upon request and, to the extent practicable, in a language parents understand.

Oklahoma City Public Schools will be governed by the following definition of parental involvement and expects that its Title I schools will carry out programs, activities, and procedures in accordance with this definition in Section 101 of the ESSA:

Parental involvement means the participation of parents in regular, two-way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities, including ensuring:

1. Parents play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning
2. Parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education at school
3. Parents are full partners in their child’s education and are included, as appropriate, in decision-making and on advisory committees to assist in the education of their child
4. Other activities are carried out, such as those described in Section 116 of the ESEA

Coordinate and integrate parent and family engagement strategies to the extent feasible and appropriate, with other relevant Federal, State, and local laws and programs.

Conduct with the meaningful involvement of parents and family members, an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of the parent and family engagement policy in improving the academic quality of all schools served under the part, including identifying;

• Barriers to greater participation by parents/families in activities authorized by this (with particular attention to parents who are economically disadvantaged, are disabled, have limited English proficiency, have limited literacy, or are of any racial or ethnic minority background);
• The needs of parents and family members to assist with the learning of their children, including engaging with school personnel and teachers; and
• Strategies to support successful school and family interactions

 Use the findings of such evaluation to design evidence-based strategies for more effective parental and family engagement, and to revise, if necessary, the parent and family engagement policies Section 1116(a)(2).  

Oklahoma City Public Schools promotes and supports developing lasting partnerships with families, communities, and businesses to build capacity for practices and activities that nurture student success.  Which strengthens the families access to resources; businesses/community organizations partner with schools to create programs that connect to the workplace; intergenerational programs support young and old working together; and students serve and learn beyond their school environment.

Oklahoma City Public Schools recognizes the importance of administrative leadership in setting expectations and creating a climate conducive to parent involvement.  They are committed to providing professional development opportunities and training for parents and staff throughout the year to enhance understanding of effective parent involvement strategies.

Link to OKCPS Board Policies