Regional Family-Community Engagement Network
The Ohio Family and Community Engagement Network is a group of dedicated education professionals from across Ohio, comprised of representatives from each of Ohio’s regions along with organizations whose work supports families of diverse learners, including students with disabilities. The network collaboratively researches, develops, and supports the implementation of tools and strategies for regional teams and school districts to effectively engage and empower families and communities. Through the Network’s activities to support strong family-school partnerships, family and community needs and strengths are recognized and prioritized at every level, resulting in improved student and family outcomes and better school climates.
As leaders of this Network, CETE’s Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center provides opportunities for these family engagement professionals to come together several times a year to learn and grow in their family engagement practice at the regional/organization level. These professionals provide many important functions for families and schools in each Ohio region, such as coaching districts on how to work well with families and providing families with information and tools to advocate for their children. Thus, the Network is an important group of people who help share the work of the Statewide Family Engagement Center across Ohio.
Overall, CETE’s coordination and management of the Regional Family-Community Engagement Network project is focused on:
- improving the processes and outcomes of the family consultants by assisting in the development of regional, comprehensive plans for engagement of families and communities of students with disabilities;
- maximizing consultants’ roles and assisting them in establishing broad networks of support for referring families and educators to information, resources, and services for students with disabilities;
- building the knowledge and skills of family consultants through professional development opportunities;
- creating a cohesive and consistent quality of services of family consultants statewide; and
- supporting the statewide system for families of students with disabilities through the development of effective communications and partnerships with Ohio’s parent mentors.
Funded by Ohio Department of Education Office for Exceptional Children
Program Lead Dr. Barbara Boone
