CA-SFEC is dedicated to enhancing family engagement in education statewide.
Welcome!
The California Statewide Family Engagement Center (CA-SFEC) is committed to serve as part of the SFEC federally funded initiative by the U.S. Department of Education. The CA-SFEC understands that family engagement within all aspects of education is a crucial factor for the successful outcomes of students moving through the K-12 system.
Through this initiative, CA-SFEC will undertake robust family engagement efforts throughout the state, with a focus on Building Capacity for Educators, Building Capacity for Families,
and Building Capacity and Evidence for the Field of Family Engagement.
If you’d like to jump to a focus, select one below.
Building Capacity for Educators
Building Capacity for Families
Building Capacity and Evidence for the Field of Family Engagement
U.S. Census Bureau data shows California, the country’s most populous state, had the lowest percentage of residents age 25 and older whose education level was high school graduate or higher in 2022, with 84.7%
The CA-SFEC project is designed to create an inclusive and supportive educational environment that recognizes and addresses the unique needs of all students while paying close attention to English learners and migrant students throughout California.
High School Graduation Rate or Higher
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
Data Source: California Education – Census Bureau Tables
Quote Source: Map Reveals States With the Most High School Dropouts, Newsweek
The CA-SFEC will partner with CDE and NAFSCE to bring quality family engagement programs and strategies to California schools through a three-pronged approach:
Building Capacity for Educators
In partnership with the National Association for Family, School, and Community Engagement (NAFSCE) and the California Department of Education (CDE), the CA-SFEC will provide technical assistance to educational agencies in creating systemic change around family engagement. NAFSCE’s partnership and national expertise will support the CA-SFEC’s efforts in developing effective strategies as we engage in best practices implementing family engagement programs to support families and students statewide.
Alongside our partnership with the NAFSCE and the CDE, the CA-SFEC will be able to:
- Create a Family Engagement Advisory Committee to develop a statewide family engagement framework integrated through new and existing policies and practices.
- Incorporate the Pre-Service Educator Preparation Framework statewide and provide technical assistance to LEAs and COEs.
- Develop and support statewide communities of practice in partnership with CBOs and LEAs as part of a capacity-building effort, including establishing a statewide family engagement conference.
- Develop a Statewide Family Engagement Landscape Analysis and Opportunity Canvas to inform key priorities for CA-SFEC.
- CA-SFEC will distribute NAFSCE memberships to educators, practitioners in the field, and families based on who can benefit the most from the membership.
- Convene regional and statewide coalitions centered around collaboration for effective family engagement practices to support practitioners in the field.
Building Capacity for Families
True to the intent of the U.S. Department of Education’s goals, CA-SFEC believes that families must be active partners in their children’s education through collaborative partnerships between families and schools. By preparing schools to embrace family engagement while simultaneously preparing families to be engaged, we will increase the effectiveness of the project and improve educational outcomes for students.
- Implement family engagement programs, inclusive of the dual-capacity building framework, in partnership with local education agencies and schools throughout the state to empower and increase families’ agency in their children’s education and develop the school and family relationship.
- Administer social emotional learning programming in partnership with local education agencies and schools throughout the state to increase families’ capacity in supporting their student’s academic success.
- Conduct math literacy programs for families throughout the state, aligned with the newly developed CA math literacy Program, and addressing content standards for English learners and including literacy and financial literacy for adults.
- Engage families as members of the statewide advisory committee and community of practice with the state education agency, local education agencies, and community-based organization partners.
Building Capacity and Evidence for the field of Family Engagement
Building capacity and evidence for family engagement statewide. To best support these efforts, CA-SFEC has partnered with the University of California, Irvine to:
- Conduct a rigorous evaluation to strengthen evidence around family engagement while creating a model for statewide collaboration.
- Evaluate annual progress of the project utilizing mixed methodologies and approaches and provide additional infrastructure support.
- Work with other SFECs, parent training and information centers, and community parent resource centers as defined under IDEA.
Want to Learn More?
Learn how the California State Wide Family Engagement Center strengthens education through partnerships. Discover all the opportunities to support children’s learning statewide. Join us in empowering families and enhancing education.
