Scope
The R5CC is assisting Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) to operationalize the new Office of Parent Engagement (OPE). The goals of the OPE include creating a VA Parent Council and a user-friendly website entry point to enable dialogue between VDOE leadership and the Commonwealth's parents regarding their student's academic progress. The R5CC andVDOE will collaborate to develop a detailed framework for a well-executed, communicated, and understood rollout of the OPE. The R5CC and VDOE will collaborate in all stages of VA04 planning and implementation.
High-Leverage Problem
VDOE does not have systematic practices or processes to communicate broadly and directly with parents and families. VDOE seeks R5CC staff expertise and assistance to develop and operationalize the new VDOE Office of Parent Engagement (OPE). This will include R5CC assistance in the following components: creating a detailed implementation framework and plan informed by research and conversations with other states' parent engagement programs; identifying staff; building out the critical pathways needed to communicate directly with parents; developing an effective, evidence-based, and exemplary plan for communications and use in all stages of implementation; and seeks the R5CC's capacity-building assistance in planning, designing, and creating as the OPE is operationalized.
Approach to Capacity-Building Services
The VDOE is requesting capacity-building assistance from R5CC in the areas of knowledge, skills, structures, and alignment with policies to build out the OPE with plans for implementation and sustainability. Following a scan of states with exemplary parent programs, VDOE and R5CC will: identify information gaps in all capacity areas; co-create weekly meeting agendas and notes for progress documentation; co-develop questions for and co-facilitate peer-to-peer conversations; support VDOE decision-making by addressing information gaps and review best practices/research; and review exemplary frameworks, implementation plans, personnel requirements/needs, and monitoring strategies.
Laura Taylor
Kerri Wills