Statewide Family Engagement Centers

The purpose of the Statewide Family Engagement Centers (SFEC) program is to provide financial support to organizations that provide technical assistance and training to State educational agencies (SEAs) and local educational agencies (LEAs) in the implementation and enhancement of systemic and effective family engagement policies, programs, and activities that lead to improvements in student development and academic achievement.

The Secretary is authorized to award grants to statewide organizations (or consortia of such organizations) in partnership with an SEA to establish statewide family engagement centers that:

• carry out parent education and family engagement in education, programs, and
• provide comprehensive training and technical assistance to SEAs, LEAs, schools identified by SEAs and LEAs, organizations that support family-school partnerships and other such programs.
  

This description was pulled from The United States Department of Education's Office of Elementary and Secondary Education website. 

NAFSCE works in partnership with the centers in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Massachusetts to enhance their efforts to provide high impact, evidence based programs at the state and local level. Additionally, NAFSCE works with the National Center for Families Learning (NCFL) as well as each of the SFECs to create a robust network that participates in knowledge sharing and networking to enhance the services in their own states.  

For more information on the SFECs and their resources, click on the links below:

• Report: Catalyzing Family, School, and Community Partnerships: A Review of the Work of the Statewide Family Engagement Centers
• SFEC Resources

Each of the 12 Statewide Family Engagement Centers is listed below, along with a link to each center's website and a two-page profile.

Arizona

The Arizona Statewide Family Engagement Center will improve academic achievement for disadvantaged students, empower parents with information to make good choices for their child’s education, and increase the capacity of the SEA and LEAs to provide high-quality family literacy and family engagement services. Click here to download a two-page profile detailing AZ SFEC's work. 

Connecticut

Connecticut Family School Partnerships consists of three main components: 1) A comprehensive, responsive research-based system of direct service provision to families, including parent education programs; 2) a dual-capacity building infrastructure, designed to ensure that there will be a network of support for both families and professionals working in school settings to implement effective, evidence-based family engagement strategies; and 3) a virtual resource repository, including practice guides, training modules and other supports and services, which will be accessible to all stakeholders (families, educators, advocates, students, policy-makers and training and technical assistance providers) involved in family engagement work throughout the state of Connecticut. Click here to download a two-page profile detailing CT SFEC's work. 

Hawaii

The Hawai’i Statewide Family Engagement Center is working to build capacity in every community in Hawai‘i, among schools, parents, and community organizations, so that all children thrive developmentally and academically. Click here to download a two-page profile detailing HI SFEC's work. 

Kentucky

The Kentucky Collaborative for Families and Schools - The Prichard Committee will a comprehensive family and school partnership framework that creates systemic and sustainable conditions to build the capacity of parents, schools and community-based organizations. The framework is applicable cradle-to-career and will support student achievement, inform families about educational options and support school improvement. Click here to download a two-page profile detailing the Kentucky Collaborative for Family Engagement's work. 

Massachusetts

Massachusetts Statewide Family Engagement Center (MASFEC) is an initiative to promote family engagement in children’s educational experience and to build family, schools, and community organizations capacity to support student success. MASFEC programs and activities support families, districts, schools, and community organizations working to build meaningful partnerships resulting in improved student learning and success.  Click here to download a -page profile detailing MASFEC's work. 

Maryland & Pennsylvania

The Collaborative Action for Family Engagement Center (CAFÉ) works within the states of Maryland and Pennsylvania to build a statewide infrastructure for sustained capacity. Together, these states have the opportunity to learn from one another and establish a network of shared leadership and peer support. Click here to download a two-page profile detailing CAFE's work. 

Minnesota

Minnesota’s Statewide Family Engagement Center (SFEC) aims to increase students’ academic achievement by supporting families and educators through a variety of free services, such as workshops, webinars, in-services, and presentations. Click here to download a two-page profile detailing MN SFEC's work. 

Nebraska

Nebraska's Statewide Family Engagement Center's mission is to improve academic achievement for disadvantaged students; empower parents of disadvantaged students with information and tools to make good choices for their child’s education; and increase the capacity of SEA, LEAs, and community-based organizations to provide high-quality family literacy and family engagement services. Click here to download a two-page profile detailing NE SFEC's work. 

Ohio

The Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center at The Ohio State University is a leader in the field of family, school, and community engagement. They are located at the Center on Education and Training for Employment within the College of Education and Human Ecology. Their goal is to bring research to action by providing schools and families with the tools they need to work together so all children have success in learning and life. http:Click here to download a two-page profile detailing OH SFEC's work. 

South Carolina

The Carolina Family Engagement Center's mission is to provide all families with access to the high-quality capacity-building opportunities they need to actively engage in their children’s education in partnership with their schools and communities using evidence-based strategies that improve student achievement and development and reduce inequities across South Carolina. Click here to download a two-page profile detailing SC SFEC's work. 

South Dakota

The South Dakota Statewide Family Engagement Center (SFEC) unites students, families, schools, and communities together by focusing on learner needs from “cradle to career.” SFEC strives to ensure that all learners—especially English Language Learners (ELL), economically disadvantaged learners and minority students—have the supports they need to achieve academic, career, and life goals. West River Foundation is the fiscal agent in partnership with Black Hills Special Services Cooperative (BHSSC), the SD Department of Education, and the SD Parent Connection. Click here to download a two-page profile detailing the SD SFEC's work. 

West Virginia

The West Virginia Family Engagement Center (WVFEC) program is based on current, evidence-based practices that engage families, educators, and community members in the educational process to enhance student academic achievement. This initiative offers families a variety of opportunities to participate in their child's learning both inside and outside of school. Click here to download a two-page profile detailing WV SFEC's work.