Two weeks ago in Atlanta, Georgia, educators, administrators, advocates, and community leaders came together for the NABSE’s 52nd Annual Conference under the theme Empowering Black Excellence: Our Students, Our Future. Springboard Collaborative was honored to join this vital conversation, standing alongside passionate leaders from across the country to help shape a brighter future for our students, particularly those of African descent.
During our session on “Building Partnerships for Literacy Success,” we explored the transformative power of family-educator partnerships, spotlighting how these relationships impact both attendance and literacy outcomes for our youngest learners.
The Literacy Crisis is Real
Did you know that 67% of fourth graders are not proficient in reading? Even more alarming, 83% of Black fourth graders fall into this category (National Assessment of Educational Progress, 2022). While NAEP advises that we use and interpret these statistics with caution, the numbers vividly illustrate the systemic challenges faced by students in high-need communities. Recognizing this crisis paves the way for immediate and effective solutions.
The Power of Engagement
Our internal research shows a 91% attendance rate in Springboard Collaborative family workshops. Families aren’t passive observers in their children’s education — they’re active and essential, shaping and supporting their children’s learning every step of the way and contributing to powerful learning outcomes. In fact, our data indicate that family workshop attendance can nearly double reading growth under stable instructional conditions. With families as active partners, students experience an average of 4.9 months of reading growth per programming session — progress that is almost double the expected rate!
But the evidence doesn’t stop with us. Recent research conducted by Learning Heroes and TNTP (formerly known as The New Teacher Project) reinforced this narrative, suggesting that the “relationships between family engagement and chronic absenteeism are so powerful” that they might surpass the effects of poverty (Principal magazine, “Reduced Absenteeism Relies on Family Engagement,” September/October 2024). To illustrate: Many schools saw chronic absenteeism rise during the pandemic. However, in schools with robust family engagement before the pandemic, that rise was 39% smaller than in schools with weaker pre-pandemic family engagement. Likewise, high-family-engagement schools saw a 25% smaller decline in student attendance compared with schools with weaker family engagement practices. These schools also achieved better academic outcomes, including a 27% lower decline in English language arts and a 37% lower decline in math performance, highlighting the transformative potential of fostering family-educator partnerships (Learning Heroes/TNTP, “Investigating the Relationship Between Pre-pandemic Family Engagement and Student and School Outcomes,” October 2023).
Empowering Through Methodology
We introduced our Family-Educator Learning Accelerator (FELA) methodology, a structured approach designed to actively bring families into the educational fold. We believe that families are eager to engage, and this methodology empowers families while equipping educators with strategies to foster connections. The best part? This proven framework is accessible to all, enabling significant gains within a short timeframe.
Hands-On Family Workshops
During our session, participants engaged in an abridged workshop that showcased our approach in action, featuring ready-to-go materials designed for families to reinforce skills rooted in the science of reading and promote habit-building at home. Every family deserves access to meaningful opportunities that honor their expertise and partnership in meeting their children’s academic needs. Our workshops are built on the premise that, with the right tools and support, families can profoundly enhance their children’s literacy learning at home, extending the impact of what happens in the classroom.
Moving Forward
As we celebrate Black excellence, we stay committed to empowering our students by uplifting the educators, families, and communities that support them. When we come together, we create real opportunities for our students to thrive. By bridging the literacy gap and improving attendance, we ensure every child has the chance to reach their full academic and educational potential.