Through teaching and learning, families and staff work together to promote children's learning, development, and school readiness. As children's first and most important teachers, families are engaged as partners in their children's learning and development.
Families share their knowledge about their child. Teachers and home visitors share information about the child's progress. Head Start programs build connections with community partners to offer children and families access to other learning opportunities.
Key Resources
Framework Resources
- PFCE Simulation Series: Boosting School Readiness through Effective Family Engagement
- Understanding Family Engagement Outcomes: Research to Practice Series
Additional Resources
Research
- Dearing, E., Kreider, H., Simpkins, S., Weiss, H. B. (2006). Family Involvement in Cchool and Low-Income Children's Literacy Performance: Longitudinal Associations between and within Families. Journal of Educational Psychology, 98, 653-664
- Incorporating Cultural Themes to Promote Preschoolers' Critical Thinking in American Indian Head Start Classrooms. Dubosarsky, M., Murphy, B., Roehrig, G., Frost, L.C., Jones, Jennifer, and Carlson, S.P. with Londo, N., Melchert, J.B., Gettel, C., and Bem
- Mendoza, J., Katz, L.G., Robertson, A.S., Rothenberg, D. "Connecting with Parents in Early Years." 2003: W.K. Kellogg Foundation
- Tomasito's Mother Comes to School/La mamá de Tomasito visita la escuela
- Powell, D. R., Son, S. H., File, N., San Juan, R. R. (2010). Parent-School Relationships and Children's Academic and Social Outcomes in Public School Pre-Kindergarten. Journal of School Psychology, 48(4), 269–292.
Regulations
- Determining program structure, 45 CFR § 1302.20 (a), (a)(1)-(2), (b)-(c), (c)(1)-(c)(3), (c)(3)(i)-(ix), (c)(4), (d)
- Center-based option, 45 CFR § 1302.21 (a)-(b)
- Home-based option, 45 CFR § 1302.22 (a)
- Family child care option, 45 CFR § 1302.23 (a), (a)(1)
- Purpose, 45 CFR § 1302.30
- Teaching and the learning environment, 45 CFR § 1302.31 (a)-(b), (b)(1), (b)(1)(i)-(iv), (b)(2), (b)(2)(i)-(iii), (c), (c)(1)-(2)
- Parent and family engagement in education and child development services, 45 CFR § 1302.34 (a)-(b), (b)(1)-(8)
- Education in home-based programs, 45 CFR § 1302.35 (a)-(b), (b)(1)-(4), (c), (c)(1)-(4), (c)(4)(i)-(ii), (c)(5), (d), (d)(1), (d)(1)(i), (d)(4), (e), (e)(1)-(2), (e)(2)(i)-(ii), (e)(3), (f)
- Purpose, 45 CFR § 1302.40 (b)
- Collaboration and communication with parents 45 CFR § 1302.41 (a)-(b), (b)(1)-(2)
- Child health status and care, 45 CFR § 1302.42 (c), (c)(1)-(3)
- Child mental health and social and emotional well-being, 45 CFR § 1302.45 (a), (a)(1)-(4), (b), (b)(1)-(6)
- Family support services for health, nutrition, and mental health, 45 CFR § 1302.46 (a)-(b), (b)(1), (b)(1)(i)-(v), (b)(2), (b)(2)(i)-(iii)
- Family engagement, 45 CFR § 1302.50 (a)-(b), (b)(1)-(6)
- Parent activities to promote child learning and development, 45 CFR § 1302.51 (a), (a)(1)-(3), (b)
- Family partnership services, 45 CFR § 1302.52 (a)-(c), (c)(1)-(4), (d)
- Additional services for children, 45 CFR § 1302.61 (c), (c)(2), (c)(2)(i)-(ii)
- Additional services for parents, 45 CFR § 1302.62 (a), (a)(1)-(2), (b), (b)(1)-(4)
- Transitions from Early Head Start, 45 CFR § 1302.70 (a), (c), (e)
- Transitions from Head Start to kindergarten, 45 CFR § 1302.71 (a)-(b), (b)(1)-(2), (b)(2)(i)-(iv), (c), (c)(1)-(2), (c)(2)(i)-(iii), (c)(3)
- Transitions between programs, 45 CFR § 1302.72 (a), (c)
- Enrolled pregnant women, 45 CFR § 1302.80 (c)-(d)
- Prenatal and postpartum information, education, and services, 45 CFR § 1302.81 (a)-(b)
- Family partnership services for enrolled pregnant women, 45 CFR § 1302.82 (a)-(b)
- Achieving program goals, 45 CFR § 1302.102 (a), (a)(1)-(4), (b), (b)(1), (b)(1)(i)-(iv), (b)(2), (b)(2)(i)-(ii)
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Last Updated: February 19, 2025