Program Description
Established at Johns Hopkins University in 1996 by Dr. Joyce Epstein, the National Network of Partnership Schools (NNPS) guides schools, districts, and states to implement research-based partnership programs. NNPS uses a framework of six types of involvement and an action team approach, Members of NNPS receive coaching, training, and planning materials to help them implement the program. Since its founding, NNPS has partnered with over 5,000 schools and districts to improve their approach to family engagement.
Through the model, an Action Team for Partnerships is assembled and writes a One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships to select and schedule activities for family and community engagement over the school year. The activities in the Action Plan must be connected to goals for a welcoming climate and for student success that are included in the School Improvement Plan. The One-Year Action Plan focuses on two academic goals, one behavioral goal and one overall goal for a welcoming school climate. ATP members meet monthly, work together, share leadership and conduct activities that engage all families in their children’s education. The team evaluates the quality of each activity implemented to continually improve outreach to all families. NNPS helps each team assess the quality and progress of its work on partnerships at the end of each school year.
Program Outcomes
The National Network of Partnership Schools (NNPS) model was evaluated in a quasi-experimental study involving 69 NNPS elementary schools and 69 matched comparison schools across Ohio. The schools were located in urban (29%), suburban (24%), rural (24%), and small urban (23%) communities and served varied student populations, with an average of 75% White, 20% African American, and nearly half of the students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. Schools implementing the NNPS model organized family and community partnership activities to improve student engagement. The study analyzed changes in average daily attendance from 2000 to 2001, finding that NNPS schools increased attendance by 0.5% on average, while comparison schools experienced a slight decline. The positive, statistically significant results (effect size = +0.07) highlight the role of structured family and community involvement in improving attendance, earning NNPS a “Promising” ESSA rating.
Staffing Requirements
Each participating school will form an Action Team for Partnerships (ATP) – a standing committee or work group – composed of the principal, parents, teachers, others (e.g., counselors, community members, alumni) and students in high schools.
Professional Development/Training
NNPS conducts institutes and workshops that build leaders’ abilities to strengthen and sustain their partnership programs. NNPS partners will have access to two quarterly professional development series, designed to build a professional community around partnerships and learn about partnership research and evidence-based family engagement best practices. NNPS partners will work with NNPS facilitators to support the development and implementation of strong programs throughout the schools they are guiding.
Technology
None.