Families as Partners Manual

Families as Partners (FAP) is an Austin ISD initiative funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation with the goal of creating sustainable and effective school-family partnerships for academic success. The initiative is grounded in the principle that authentic engagement flourishes when families and faculty build trusting relationships and see each other as equal partners.

TAGS family partnerships parent leadership

Relationships First: Creating Connections that Help Young People Thrive

Young people deeply benefit from developmental relationships with a variety of people including program leaders from community organizations, mentors, parents, teachers, and friends. This resource lays out a framework for building strong relationships with young people, and concludes with 55 concrete ideas.

TAGS family partnerships community partnerships relationship skills advisory/homeroom

Partnering with School Boards to Promote SEL

Successful districtwide SEL implementation engages board members as partners in the process. This tool includes five considerations for creating robust district and school board partnerships.

TAGS school board

Serie de Discusión de SEL para Padres y Cuidadores

Spanish version of SEL Discussion Series for Parents and Caregivers

TAGS parents/parenting SEL partnerships toolkit spanish language resources parent leadership culturally responsive family and community engagement

SEL Discussion Series for Parents and Caregivers

10 facilitated discussions to support schools to engage families in conversations about the social and emotional growth of their families. Each session encourages participants to engage in their own growth while supporting their children to practice SEL. Also available in Spanish.

TAGS parents/parenting SEL partnerships toolkit parent leadership culturally responsive family and community engagement

Sample Schoolwide SEL 101 Presentation

CASEL's interactive and editable presentation for district and school staff audiences uses data to make the case for SEL and illustrates SEL in the classroom, with group activities, video links, and presenter notes.

TAGS three signature practices staff onboarding SEL overview classroom level culture and climate professional learning district SEL expertise building buy-in for SEL SEL leadership

Austin Independent School District SEL Newsletter

Samples of a bilingual newsletter distributed by the SEL department in Austin, including a school spotlight, featured SEL strategy, and family resources.

TAGS reading lists - parents parents/parenting spanish language resources model SEL schools communications community relations family and community engagement

SEL Department and Specialist Logic Model to Improve District SEL Implementation

Describes the purpose, goals, and activities of Austin's SEL Specialists -- good tool for a district team that is lobbying for the creation of new SEL-focused positions.

SEL Administrator Academy: Implementing Social and Emotional Learning Systemwide to Improve Student Achievement

Presentation for district and school administrators to connect SEL standards with Common Core and workforce skills and how to implement/monitor district-wide SEL. Includes activities that model SEL and a full presenter script.

TAGS board policies SEL overview implementation plan college and career readiness professional learning integrate with district priorities district SEL expertise building buy-in for SEL SEL leadership

Convening a Cross-Functional Advisory Council for SEL: Resources, Best Practices, and Suggestions

Key considerations for districts as they build a council consisting of members from different organizations and departments to align social and emotional learning between in-school and out-of-school time settings.

TAGS community partnerships community relations out of school