The Orange County Department of Education (OCDE) Family and Community Engagement page provides resources, professional learning opportunities, and initiatives that support schools in building strong, equitable partnerships with families. It highlights OCDE’s commitment to fostering collaboration, improving student outcomes, and promoting inclusive engagement practices across districts throughout Orange County.

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The Dual Capacity-Building Framework for Family–School Partnerships, developed by Dr. Karen Mapp, provides a research-based approach to strengthening relationships between educators and families by building the skills, knowledge, and confidence of both groups. Rather than offering a single program, the framework serves as a guide for designing meaningful, equity-centered engagement that is connected to student learning and school improvement, emphasizing trust, collaboration, and culturally responsive practices.

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This free online course from Harvard University (via edX) provides an introduction to family engagement in education, exploring why partnerships between families, schools, and communities are essential for student success. The course highlights research on how engagement improves outcomes, shares real-world examples of effective collaboration, and offers practical, culturally responsive strategies that educators can use to build stronger relationships with families.

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The National PTA Standards for Family–School Partnerships outline six research-based principles for building strong relationships between families and schools, including welcoming all families, effective communication, supporting student success, and shared decision-making. These standards provide a practical framework for schools to assess and improve their engagement practices.

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The California Family Engagement Network (CA-FEN) is a statewide coalition of organizations, educators, and advocates working to advance equitable and culturally responsive family engagement across California. The network connects practitioners, shares best practices, and supports policy efforts that position family engagement as a key strategy for improving student outcomes and strengthening partnerships between schools, families, and communities.

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