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The U.S. Department of Education's Y4Y web portal is offering a family engagement virtual institute for 21st CCLC grantees. The virtual institute is divided into three 1-week segments that are available on demand. Each segment includes a webinar recording, presentation materials, links to resources, and handouts.

In a fast-paced culture, where families are busy and sometimes overwhelmed with job and school responsibilities, family engagement is still important. National AfterSchool Association’s professional development series, Talk Tuesday, offers new materials to guide an afterschool staff training session on family engagement. This resource focuses on five quick techniques that help afterschool practitioners build strong relationships with families.

When considering ways to involve families in program planning, it’s important to think about how you and your staff are reaching out to families. Families can provide valuable insight toward program improvement, but barriers to engagement, such as work schedules and caring for other children, must be taken into account. “Involving Children and Families in Program Planning,” an article published by the National Afterschool Association, has some tips for overcoming obstacles and increasing family involvement in program planning.

This article in Children & Schools, the journal of the National Association of Social Workers, examines which aspects of afterschool program quality contribute most to positive outcomes. Studying 21^st CCLC programs in one Midwestern state, the authors found that family engagement strategies most strongly correlated to program outcomes. These research findings may prove a valuable source of evidence for programs seeking support to develop and implement quality measures and family engagement initiatives.

This working paper by a team from the Teachers College at Columbia University reviews roughly five decades of research around local, cross-sector collaborations. The authors examine key obstacles collective impact efforts have faced but note that current efforts in education may have better outcomes for several reasons: the notion that “schools can do it alone” has receded; new players, including mayors and city agencies, have become factors in education policy; many states and districts now have more sophisticated systems for collecting and analyzing student data; and cities are embracing “the new localism”-the idea that they, rather than the federal government, are the best arena for creative solutions to big problems.

Published by the National League of Cities’ Institute for Youth, Education, and Families in 2010, this guide describes three key strategies that city leaders can use to generate support for access to high-quality out-of-school time activities. The guide also highlights a broad range of examples of how cities have successfully implemented each strategy, from partnerships with universities to coordinated communications plans.

When budgets are tight, successful partnerships allow organizations to leverage resources that expand and enrich young peoples’ lives. Meaningful Linkages Between Summer Programs, Schools, and Community Partners: Conditions and Strategies for Success, a short research profile from the National Summer Learning Association, is based on in-depth interviews with 11 summer programs that have successfully forged dynamic linkages between summer programs, schools, and community organizations. The report provides guidance and examples for developing and managing effective summer learning partnerships in your community.

Amid growing national interest in strengthening children’s “soft” or social-emotional skills as essential for learning, work, and life, a new study from Search Institute highlights the power of family relationships as a critical, but often neglected, factor in the development of character strengths in children. The study argues that too many family engagement efforts are about getting families to support what an institution does, like a school or youth program, and “overlook the one thing about which parents care deeply and that can powerfully benefit their children’s development: relationships in the home.” The findings challenge schools, organizations, and coalitions to rethink and reinvest in family engagement as a crucial strategy for working together for children’s success.

Community schools, collaborations between the school and other community resources and organizations, create a wide range of supports for children, youth, families, and community members-an approach to education that many districts and cities are adopting. This resource guide from ExpandED Schools examines the role of expanded learning in the New York City Community Schools Initiative and outlines promising practices in the initiative. It also offers recommendations to ensure that the broad network of Community Schools get the most out of their expanded learning efforts.

Celebrate the 16th annual Lights On Afterschool Oct. 22, 2015! During this nationwide event organized by the Afterschool Alliance, afterschool programs open their doors to families, friends, neighbors, and community leaders to join the celebration. Guests take part in activities and learn about the important role afterschool plays in the lives of children, families, and communities. Visit the Illinois ACT Now Coalition for information on Illinois Lights On Afterschool resources and the national Lights On Afterschool website for additional event planning and promotional resources.