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The coronavirus has highlighted inequities in education, but it can also be an opportunity for schools and parents to collaborate on solutions.

While we may feel that the coronavirus experience is one we all share, the reality is that many communities (especially those with Black and Brown families) are suffering in tremendously greater ways than other, more privileged, groups. Every day, the experience is changing. Parents may be called on to explain what COVID-19 is one minute and discuss systemic racism the next.

One outcome is evident, though: the inequities that exist in education, healthcare, housing, and other social opportunities have been openly exposed. When it comes to preparing children for kindergarten, the importance of a partnership between families and schools cannot be overstated.

Achieving Family Empowerment

When an extra layer of challenge is added (such as a home language other than English), the partnership must be that much more intentional. Especially in an era such as this one, educators and administrators must be thoughtful designers of solutions that elevate the importance of family empowerment and embed partnerships with caregivers into all aspects of planning and response. This means that all caregivers must have access not only to information but also to channels of two-way communication. Instructional leaders must invest in interpreters and translators so that communication can be shared in all languages of families served and teachers can directly communicate with families in their favored language.

According to research from Hoover-Dempsey and others, empowering families means influencing parental beliefs to foster a sense of advocacy and agency. Families must view the world with the understanding that their child’s learning is partly their responsibility and, most importantly, they must believe that they have the information and agency to make a difference for their child. Families must be given the opportunity to share their hopes and dreams for their children, and schools must listen. Schools must be able to share concrete ways that families can support their children, and provide these details in an easy-to-digest format.

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