Blog Post | August 2026
Strengthening Family Engagement to Better Child Outcomes
Here at the Children’s Learning Institute (CLI), we recognize that children’s learning and development extend beyond the classroom. Families (whether traditional, chosen, or everything in between) play a critical role in shaping a child’s experience and ensuring holistic long-term success.
With that understanding in mind, CLI has developed new tools and resources that help schools, early learning programs, and families better understand and strengthen family engagement.
A key new resource, the Family Engagement Survey tool, provides schools and organizations with a practical, data-informed way to gather meaningful feedback from families.
Informed by feedback from schools and educators and developed through a review of leading family engagement frameworks, including guidance from the Texas Education Agency, Head Start, Texas Rising Star, CLI Engage, the National Association for the Education of Young Children, and the National Association for Family, School, and Community Engagement, the survey was designed to reflect what matters most in strong family-school partnerships. The tool measures four key areas:
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- Partnering with families and positive communication
- Two-way conversations and individualized support
- Learning at home and responsiveness
- School community, events, and belonging
Rather than relying on assumptions, school staff can use this tool to identify strengths, address barriers, and improve communication with families. Strong family engagement helps improve student outcomes, attendance, trust, and community relationships.
“This tool helps organizations move beyond assumptions and make targeted improvements that increase participation, belonging, and collaboration.”
The newly published CLI Engage Family website supports families with children ages birth to 5 through engaging, play-based learning opportunities at home. The site offers activitiesorganized into themes, such as Arts and Creativity, Exploring Nature, and Getting Ready for School, along with videos, resources, and eBooks.
Each resource is designed to help families incorporate school-readiness skills into everyday routines. The Circle Storytime eBook Library further supports shared reading experiences by including parent strategies, interactive prompts, and hands-on extensions.
When we work together, we can help reshape the landscape of early childhood education. By incorporating families into the discussion and making them key players in their child’s development, we can build stronger relationships between families, schools, and communities, bringing the greatest benefits to our future leaders. Together, these efforts reflect CLI’s 20-plus-year commitment to advancing learning and health outcomes for all children, and we are just getting started.
