Family Engagement and Schools

Professional Development Opportunities for Educators on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (.pdf) This is a sampling of professional development on topics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion available to educators through CFEC partners and friends and the University of South Carolina. Unless otherwise noted, we recommend that you reach out directly to the organizations listed below for more information regarding fees/tuition and scheduling. If you need assistance, please contact the CFEC office and we will be happy to help you make the connection. At present, sessions are only available in a virtual format.

Social Emotional Learning (SEL): Teacher Self-Care - "You are a person first, a teacher second. Self-care is fundamentally about prioritizing your own health and happiness so that you flourish as a human being. The added bonus is that when you do, your students will get the best of you instead of what's left of you." - Ellen Ronalds Keene, High School Teacher

A Voice from the Future (and an Echo from the Past): Guidance for Supporting Children, Families, & Ourselves in the Midst of Covid-19 - How do we support family resiliency, connection, and child flourishing in the midst of Covid-19?  Grounded in current trauma-informed and resiliency-based science, this guide helps families, educators, and school districts understand key “non-academic” steps to support all students. - Julia Beaty, LISW-CP, Regional Family Engagement Liaison (Upper Central SC)

Family Engagement Regional Trainings - The South Carolina Department of Education, in partnership with the SC School Improvement Council (SC-SIC) and Carolina Family Engagement Center, will host family engagement regional training sessions and provide technical assistance during the 2019–20 school year. The trainings are free and open to persons whose primary job responsibilities include leading or co-facilitating family engagement initiatives at the school and/or district levels.

Carolina Family Engagement Center offers teachers and teacher teams free assistance to enhance family engagement in the classroom.  Beginning in Fall 2019, CFEC will partner with teacher/teacher teams in 10 schools across the state over a two-year period to provide intensive support in family engagement planning, implementation, and evaluation. Teachers who successfully complete their partnership with CFEC will receive a $1,000 stipend. While the deadline for applications has closed for 2019, we will begin accepting additional applications from interested teachers in Spring 2020. Learn more about this partnership opportunity by clicking the links to the application, flyer, and FAQs found in the right-hand column of this page.

CFEC also works with schools to create climates supportive of school-family partnerships. CFEC will collaborate with them to plan and implement comprehensive community-responsive family engagement programs in building parent capacity to engage with schools and in their children’s learning. CFEC will also assist schools in forming effective school-community partnerships that support families and strengthen the whole community.

Beginning in Fall 2019, CFEC will partner with teachers and teacher teams in schools across the state over a two-year period to provide intensive support in family engagement planning, implementation, and evaluation. Teachers who successfully complete their partnership with CFEC will receive a $1,000.00 stipend. Applications for the second two-year period will be accepted beginning in Spring 2020.

All SC K-12 public schools with a poverty index of at least 60% are eligible to apply for free, ongoing CFEC professional development and technical assistance (PDF) to increase the effectiveness of their school-family-community partnerships. For more information, contact us.

CFEC Regional Liaisons will work with some 24 schools statewide for four years beginning in fall 2019 to develop, implement, and evaluate individualized school family engagement plans meeting federal, state, and district requirements, and which support existing school climate and student achievement goals.

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Guide to the 2018 SC School Report Cards (PDF) Made available by the SC Education Oversight Committee (EOC), this guide provides an overview and explanation of the key performance indicators on the School Report Card. The Report Card provides information about how adequately South Carolina's public schools are serving students. Contact us if you have other questions about the Report Card.

Student Reading Success Activity Guide (PDF) Designed for kindergarten-3rd grade, this handy guidebook is filled with tips and games to help your child or student become a better reader!

Communicating Family Engagement (PDF) A practical guide to effectively communicating the concept of family engagement, developed by the National Association for Family, School and Community Engagement (NAFSCE). Contact us to order printed copies; limit 2 booklets per request.