The Partnership Playbook: Family Engagement as Professional Practice
Authors: Edgenie Bellah, Family Engagement Coordinator, Texas Deafblind Project, Outreach Program, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI)
Family engagement has changed, and educational practice must change with it. In recent years, research and family voices have sharpened understandings of what actually improves outcomes for students who are blind, deafblind, or have low vision. Effective family engagement is no longer about adding activities or increasing participation. It is about building trust-based partnerships that value families as co-educators and decision-makers. Such a shift requires intentional reflection, updated knowledge, and aligned systems.
To support this professional work, the Title I, Part A Parent & Family Engagement Statewide Initiative (PFE) introduces The Partnership Playbook, a reimagined newsletter designed specifically for educators and school leaders. Created for quick reading and immediate use, each issue offers practical strategies grounded in current research and aligned with the National Association for Family, School, and Community Core Competencies: reflecting on practice, connecting with families, collaborating as partners, and leading through systems change.
The Partnership Playbook recognizes that engagement looks different across roles and contexts. Elementary educators, secondary educators, and administrators each face unique challenges, and each plays a critical role in shaping family partnerships. By focusing on high-leverage moves rather than more tasks, the Playbook helps educators strengthen their practice without adding to their already full plates.
For educators who serve students who are blind, deafblind, or have low vision, this resource is best used alongside the 2023 Special Issue of TX SenseAbilities and the subsequent Family Wisdom articles that highlight the findings of the Family Engagement Visioning Report developed by the national deafblind network (included in the references). Together, these resources offer a shared vision, common language, and a clear picture of where family engagement is headed, providing educators with practical tools to elevate their engagement efforts. Engaging with these resources is not optional work or extra reading. It is an investment in professional practice and in the systems that make authentic partnership possible. When educators commit to learning, reflecting, and applying current family engagement research, families are recognized as valued co-educators, and students benefit from more consistent, connected support across home, school, and community.
Pause & Reflect (3–5 minutes)
Consider the following questions. Choose one that feels relevant to a current role.
- When thinking about family engagement, what beliefs or assumptions shape current practice?
- Where does work lean more toward family involvement instead of authentic engagement?
- How are families positioned in local settings—as recipients of information or as co-educators and partners?
- What is one small shift that could strengthen trust-based partnerships with families?
- How might The Partnership Playbook help educators move from intention to action?
Family engagement has changed, and our professional practice must change with it. Don’t let these insights sit on a shelf—put them into practice. Sign up for The Partnership Playbook today to receive high-leverage strategies that transform family involvement into authentic, life-changing partnerships.
References
Adkins, A. (Ed.). (2023, August). Special Issue on Family Engagement: Lessons Learned from Our Families. TX SenseAbilities. Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. https://www.tsbvi.edu/tx-senseabilities/issues/2023-family-engagement
Bellah, E. (Fall, 2023). Bringing home the Family Engagement Priorities: Part 1. TX SenseAbilities. https://www.tsbvi.edu/tx-senseabilities/issues/tx-senseabilities-fall-2023-issue/family-engagement-priorities-part-1
Bellah, E. (Spring, 2024). Bringing Home the Family Engagement Priorities: Part 2. TX SenseAbilities. https://www.tsbvi.edu/tx-senseabilities/issues/tx-senseabilities-spring-2024-issue/family-engagement-priorities-part-2
Bellah, E. (Fall, 2024). Bringing Home the Family Engagement Priorities: Part 3. TX SenseAbilities. https://www.tsbvi.edu/tx-senseabilities/issues/tx-senseabilities-fall-2024-issue/family-engagement-priorities-part-3
Bellah, E. (Spring, 2025). Bringing Home the Family Engagement Priorities at the State and National Level. TX SenseAbilities. https://www.tsbvi.edu/tx-senseabilities/issues/tx-senseabilities-spring-2025-issue/family-engagement-state-nation
Mapp, K. L. & Bergman, E. (2019). Dual capacity-building framework for family-school partnerships (Version 2). Retrieved from: https://www.dualcapacity.org/
National Association for Family, School, and Community Core Competencies.
https://nafsce.org/page/corecompetencies
The Partnership Playbook. https://pfetexas.net/pfenewsletter
Title I, Part A Parent & Family Engagement Statewide Initiative. https://pfetexas.squarespace.com/