Abstract:

Family-school partnership is a viable way to enhance the academic, social, and emotional learning of
children. Many teachers enter the profession without the skills necessary to facilitate partnerships
with families or maintain the focus of the family–school connection and communication on student
progress and success. The purpose of this study is to enhance our knowledge and explore to what
extent does teacher family school communication training (FSCT ) impact the number of teacher
contact with families and affects teacher’s perception of the parent-teacher relationship. We used a
multiple baseline design to evaluate the effectiveness of the FSCT program on the number of parent-
teacher contacts. In addition, we administered the Parent-teacher Relationship Scale (PTRS) to
assess the quality of parent–teacher relationship. Further research should incorporate a
procedural checklist that specifies the essential components of the FSCT training to assess the
percentage of strategies implemented correctly during role-play with the trainer.

Key words: Family School Partnership, Teacher training, Parent-teacher Relationship Scale,
Communication training,

Introduction (see p. 75-76, APA manual and tables) 35 points

A. Frame the Importance of the Problem: Why is this study being done? State the broad,
long-term objectives and describe concisely and realistically what the research described in the
proposal is intended to accomplish. Make a convincing case for the significance of the problem
or issue you are addressing. Justify why the study is worth conducting, both on theoretical and
practical grounds.
Value of family engagement- link to outcomes
Engagement in learning

Parents and guardians play a critical role in their children’s educational success and provide
valuable insight into decisions that may impact their children and schools. Research has shown
that when parents display warmth, sensitivity, and encouragement in the parent-child
relationship, they are more likely to experience more positive interactions and experiences, and
children are less likely to require discipline at school or treatment for social or emotional
problems. Parent involvement in their child’s education has been associated with stronger
academic success and increases in student attributes that contribute to academic achievement
(Hoover-Dempsey et al., 2002). For instance, students are more likely to have positive
perceptions of the classroom and school environment, stronger self-regulatory skills, self-esteem,
and educational aspirations (Hoover-Dempsey et al., 2002). In addition to these outcomes,
parental involvement has been associated with other indicators of school success, such as lower
rates of retention in grade, lower dropout rates, and higher on-time high school graduation rates
(Hoover-Dempsey et al., 2005) In line with other research teachers benefit from effective
parental engagement. Various studies have found that when teachers invite parents’ involvement,
teachers report relatively high levels of teaching efficacy, receive support from parents, and tend
to be perceived by parents as better teachers (Hoover-Dempsey et al., 2002). Teacher invitations
enhance parents’ confidence that their involvement efforts are useful and valued and contribute
to the development of trust in the parent-teacher relationship.

Based on Bronfenbrenner's (1986) ecological model, the home and school settings are
considered separate microsystems and parent involvement is conceptualized as a mesosystem
because it is made up of interactions between key microsystems (El Nokali et al., 2010). The
events that happen at home can affect the child's development and progress in school and the
other way around (Bronfenbrenner, 1986). Although most educators and parents would agree
that parental involvement is a key component of a student's academic success and socio-
emotional development, family-school partnerships are often reported to be absent or ineffective
(Weiss et al., 2010). Both parents and teachers have reported barriers that prevent strong
partnership practices, such as differences between goals for the child’s education, language
differences, structural constraints, and personal barriers (Hoover-Dempsey et al., 2002). Parents
may experience barriers that include lack of time, busy work schedules, job, or family demands,
practical (e.g., access to transportation), and personal issues (e.g., family health problems).
Teachers may experience barriers such as time constraints, avoid involving parents because they
lack the support and resources to run activities in parental involvement programs, or may even
have limited experience or skills on how to sustain involvement efforts (Hoover-Dempsey et al.,
2002). Parents and guardians play a critical role in their children’s educational success and
provide valuable insight into decisions that may impact their children and schools. Family-school
partnership is a viable way to enhance the academic, social, and emotional learning of children.
Parent involvement in their child’s education has been associated with stronger academic success
and increases in student attributes that contribute to academic achievement (Hoover-Dempsey et
al., 2002). For instance, students are more likely to have positive perceptions of the classroom
and school environment, stronger self-regulatory skills, self-esteem, and educational aspirations
(Hoover-Dempsey et al., 2002). Students have been shown to demonstrate improvement in
grades, attitudes, self-concept, behavior, and social skills in the presence of home-school
partnerships. For this reason, it is essential that educators and families establish a partnership that
is characterized by effective communication, trust, and a mutual problem-solving orientation
(Christenson L., 2004)

In addition to these outcomes, parental benefits have been associated with home-school
partnerships. For example, parents have been shown to demonstrate positive attitudes about
school, report increased contact and communication with their child’s teacher, and report
improved parent-child relationships (Sheridan and Kratochwill, 2007). Research has shown that
when parents display warmth, sensitivity, and encouragement in the parent-child relationship,
they are more likely to experience more positive interactions with their child, and they are less
likely to require discipline at school or treatment for social or emotional problems.
Parental involvement has been associated with other indicators of school success, such as lower
rates of retention in grade, lower dropout rates, and higher on-time high school graduation rates
(Hoover-Dempseyet al. 2002) Various studies have shown that when teachers facilitate strong
family- school partnerships they report relatively high levels of teaching efficacy, indicate higher
levels of stratification, become more proficient in professional activities, receive support from
parents, and receive higher rating on teaching performance evaluations (Hoover-Dempsey et al.,
2002). Teacher invitations enhance parents’ confidence that their involvement efforts are useful
and valued and contribute to the development of trust in the parent-teacher relationship
(Christenson L., 2004).)

Communication Training Needs to Enhance Family- School Partnerships

Although most educators and parents would agree that parental involvement is a key component
of a student's academic success and socio-emotional development, family-school partnerships are
often reported to be absent or ineffective (Weiss et al., 2010). Based on Bronfenbrenner's (1986)
ecological model, the home and school settings are considered separate microsystems and parent
involvement is conceptualized as a mesosystem because it is made up of interactions between
key microsystems (El Nokali et al., 2010). The events that happen at home can affect the child's
development and progress in school and vise versa (Bronfenbrenner, 1986). Both parents and
teachers alike have reported barriers that prevent strong partnership practices (Hoover-Dempsey
et al., 2002). Some families may deal with personal situations that make it challenging for them
to be involved and available. For example, parents may experience structural barriers such as
childcare, transportation, economic, emotional, and time constraints (Christenson L., 2004). In
addition, families may experience psychological barriers such as feelings of inadequacy,
linguistic and cultural differences, or a perceived lack of responsiveness to parental needs and
desires(Christenson L., 2004).

Educators have reported experiencing time constraints, lack of funding for family outreach
programs, lack of training for educators on how to create and sustain partnerships with families,
or limited knowledge of data-based approaches (Christenson L., 2004). Some educators have
experienced doubts about the abilities of families to address schooling concerns, wary of
interacting with families or fear of conflict. (Christenson L., 2004).Further, many teachers enter
the profession without the skills necessary to facilitate partnerships with families or engage in
school practices. School practices may include informing parents about their child’s progress
toward learning goals, inviting parents to share information relevant to their child’s learning, or
collaborating with parents to set mutually determined goals. Since there are teachers who may
not know how to invite or sustain parental involvement efforts, parents whose involvement is not
personally invited may perceive intentional exclusion or low regard for their involvement.
Overall, there is a significant need to develop an effective and efficient family-school
communication training program that informs the development of strong family-school
partnerships.

Purpose of the Study

This study aims to enhance our knowledge and explore how family-school communication
training affects the teacher's parent teacher relationships and communication with parents.
We will use a multiple baseline design to evaluate the effectiveness of the family school
communication training program on the number of parent-teacher contacts. We seek to
 answer two primary research questions: First, to what extent does teacher FSCT impact the
number of teacher contact with families? Second, how will the FSCT affect teacher’s
perception of the parent-teacher relationship?

Method
A. Participants (Subject) Characteristicsand Settings Sampling Procedures and Setting

Upon receiving permission from the principal of the elementary school, an advertisement was
posted on the school website, and flyers were hung on school bulletin boards in common areas
for teachers. We recruited three participants from an elementary school within the Omaha Public
School District. Teachers who were interested in participating were sent an email with the
purpose of the study and were instructed to complete a 20-minute online pre-experimental
questionnaire to ensure they met the eligibility criteria. Teachers were eligible to participate if
they met the following inclusion criteria: (a) they are within their first five years of teaching, (b)
they are teaching students in grades 1-3, (c) they are interested in expanding their knowledge on
how to enhance their family school partnership. Teachers will receive a $45 stipend upon
completing the study. Each participant indicated their informed consent with a digital
acknowledgment. This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board.

Stephanie is a 2nd-grade math teacher and has been teaching for 2 years at the elementary school
level. She currently has 12 students in her classroom. She reported having no prior training on
how to improve communication and relationships with families. Jonah is a 3rd grade science
teacher and has been teaching for 3 years at the elementary and middle school level. He currently
has 16 students in his classroom. He reported that there is a lack of training for educators on how
to create and sustain partnerships with families. Julie is a 1st-grade English teacher and has been
teaching for 4 years at the elementary school level. She reported having minimal experience
implementing strategies for parental involvement. She currently has 14 students in her
classroom.

The researcher will coordinate a time to meet with the participant individually to conduct the
family-school communication training at the school. The training took place in a small room at
the library that contained a whiteboard mounted on the wall, dry-erase markers, 1 round table, 4
chairs, a TV mounted to the wall (acting as a computer monitor), a keyboard, and a mouse. The
researcher will schedule virtual meetings via Zoom once a week with each participant to address
any questions regarding the study. Each participant will be provided with the researcher's contact
information to be reached through text or email.

Materials

During the training session, the participant will receive materials ( a pencil/paper, highlighters )
to complete the activities in the FSCT handbook and a copy of The Ongoing Communication
Reflection Tool from Flamboyan Foundations. The trainer will distribute a document with
instructions on how to use the tool to report the weekly number of positive contacts they had
with their student's parents. For the training, the trainer will hand out a copy of PowerPoint
slides to take notes during the presentation.

Family-School Communication Training Handbook and Presentation

The participants will receive a FSCT Handbook to complete activities related to the content
during training sessions. We will use training materials in the Family-Engaged Education
Training (Project FEET): Taking Steps to Build Meaningful Family-School Partnerships module
developed by Kupzyk & Poch (2023) to discuss content on (a) effective communication
strategies to connect with families, (b) establishing two-way communication and the power of
positive contacts, (c) strategies for leading hard conversations and responding to situations, (d)
developing ways to celebrate student success. The activities in the handbook will provide the
trainee with opportunities to role-play back-and-forth conversations with the trainer and receive
feedback, practice filling out the ongoing communication reflection log, and watch video
samples to identify examples of positive and negative contacts.

The Ongoing Communication Reflection Tool

The Ongoing Communication Reflection Tool (Flamboyan Foundation, 2021) was developed to
help educators stay on track with connecting with families on a regular basis. The tool allows
educators to (a) reflect on the quality of the parent-teacher relationship, (b) explore the next steps
for their ongoing communication efforts (c) and asses the equality of their communication and
parent-teacher relationship. We modified the tool by adding a column labeled “Number of
Positive Contacts” for the teacher to record the total at the end of each day.

Dependent Variable and Measurement

The number of positive contacts is the primary dependent variable. The participant will use the
log to record the total number of contacts each day, Monday through Friday. We will then sum
up the total number of contacts recorded during the week and collect data on the number of
positive contacts per week. To score a positive contact, the teacher must engage in conversations
that focus on student performance, positive outcomes, and input from family members.

The participants will complete the Parent-teacher Relationship Scale (PTRS-II) developed by
Vickers & Minke (1995) before and after the study. According to Dawson E & Wymbs (2016),
research has demonstrated the relative strength of the parent-teacher relationship in predicting
child educational outcomes ( Dawson E. & Wymbs, 2016). The scale consists of 24–items that
examine two factors:(a) Joining, which assesses the parent-teacher relationship across several
dimensions, including affiliation, support, dependability, availability, and shared expectations,
and (b) Communication-to-Other, which assesses the need for parents and teachers to express
themselves to one another (Vickers & Minke, 1995). Although there are no psychometrically
sound scales that exist to validly measure facets of the parent–teacher relationship in a
generalizable sample, the PTRS-II is the best available scale to assess the quality of parent–
teacher relationships (Dawson E. & Wymbs, 2016).

Design

We will use a multiple-baseline design across participants to assess the effects of the family-
school communication training on the number of positive contacts between the parent and
teacher. The training will be introduced in a staggered manner across participants. Each
participant will begin at baseline, and we will randomly assign the order in which the participants
will receive the training. The first participant will receive the training while the other two remain
in the baseline. After we see the effect of training on the first participant's behavior (i.e., change
in level, trend, immediacy), the second participant will receive the training. Then, we will
introduce the training to the third participant after we see an effect on the second participant's
behavior.

In a multiple baseline design, experimental control is demonstrated when the introduction of the
independent variable produces an effect at three different points in time (Slocum, T.A. et al.,
2022). A multiple baseline design can address potential threats to internal validity, such as
maturation (e.g., physiological changes, physical growth), testing and session experience (e.g,
exposure to testing stimuli and settings), and coincidental events (e.g., changes in school or work
schedule, medication, physical injury) (Slocum, T.A. et al., 2022).

The researcher will conduct a visual analysis to assess the data results. The visual analyses will
be conducted by graphing the data and evaluating the presence of a potential functional
relationship and the impact that the Family School Communication Training had on the number
of positive contacts between the teacher and parent. The PTRS-II will report descriptive
statistics.

MBL designs are

comprised of a series of AB designs with different ‘A’ phase or baseline lengths, resulting in the
staggered introduction of an independent variable on one or more dependent variables
MBL designs are
comprised of a series of AB designs with different ‘A’ phase or baseline lengths, resulting in the
staggered introduction of an independent variable on one or more dependent variables (e.g.

Procedures

The interviewer and trainer is a second-year graduate student in the Applied Behavior Analysis
Master’s program. Dr. Sara Kupzyk, licensed psychologist and board-certified behavior analyst-
doctoral, will be providing supervisory support on all aspects of this study.

Intake meeting. Once we inform the participants that they are eligible for the study, we will
review the consent form and conduct an interview to gather more information about the
participants' demographics (e.g., age, gender, and ethnicity). Prior to the study, we will as
participants to identify one parent of a student in their classroom with whom they contact and
consider having “a difficult time seeing eye-to-eye” (hereafter referred to as “difficult
relationship”). We will then send an email with a link for participants to complete the PTRS-II
survey.

Baseline. We will randomly assign the order in which the participants receive the intervention.
During the baseline phase, the researcher will briefly define positive contacts and explain how to
update and fill out their daily log on a shared Google Docs document. No additional information
or training will be provided. The participants will record the number of positive contacts with the
families of all students from Monday through Friday. At the end of the school day, the
participant will record the number of positive contacts in their log and update it by 8:00 pm. The
researcher will inform the participants that they will receive a follow-up email to schedule a time
to begin training and clarify that the only thing that is required of them is to complete their logs
daily.

Family-School Communication Training.

Each participant will receive the FSCT Handbook. The trainer will begin by reviewing the
training and learning objectives. The teachers will have the opportunity to ask the trainer
questions, complete an activity related to the content, and role-play with the trainer. During the
section on communication training, the participant will rehearse and implement strategies
recommended by Kupzyk & Poch (2023). The teacher will learn how to (a) engage in active
listening with parents, (c) state information clearly and in a manner that is respectful of
individual differences (e.g., cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic, (d) reflect information to
check for understanding of the information that was shared (e.g. “I noticed...”, “I hear you
saying...”), (e) use a confident and friendly tone of voice (f) use partnership-oriented words (e.g.,
“we,” “us,” “our”), (g) and asking open-ended questions to engage parents in the discussion.
Next, the participant will watch video models of a parent-teacher. The trainer will pause the
video and role-play a parent-teacher conversation with the trainer as the teacher and the teacher
as the parent. Then, the trainer will proceed with the remaining sections of the presentations.
During the second meeting, the teacher will practice in the role of a parent. The trainer will
provide praise for strategies completed correctly and provide corrective feedback for the
strategies completed incorrectly. Following the training, the teacher will take a Summative
assessment to assess the effectiveness of the program and their learning.

B. Sampling Procedures and Setting – Discuss how you will recruit and select participants.
For example, were participants randomly selected or was it a convenience sample? Defend your
decision. Describe how ethical standards and IRB requirements were met. Note whether or not
compensation was provided to participants. Clearly describe the setting where the data were
collected.

C. Measures – Provide a definition or description of each dependent variable and how it will be
measured. For standardized measures, include information on subscales, number of items,
reliability, validity, and other relevant psychometric properties. For instruments you design (e.g.,
observation form, survey), state how you will develop evidence about reliability and validity. If
you are using any coding schemes (e.g., for deriving variables from interviews or observations),
indicate where the coding scheme came from – who developed it, psychometric supporting
evidence, etc.
Number of contacts (definF. Research Design – Clearly specify the research design selected to
answer the research questions. If relevant, note how individuals were assigned to conditions. See
APA Manual for more detailed information about standards for reporting for specific designs.
 Multiple baseline across participants

H. Analytic Strategies (see p. 86, APA manual)

First, lay out the data analysis plan in a general way. Next, there should be statements about how
data will be analyzed for each hypothesis or research question posed. Defend your choice of
analyses (including how you will use visual analysis if relevant). This section does not have to be
long however it should be detailed enough to convey your competence and understanding of
appropriate analytic techniques.
Visually inspectHypothesized Results and Discussion

A growing body of literature indicates that strong family-school partnerships are built on a
platform of effective communication, trust, and have a shared understanding of the positive
outcomes that result from family-school collaboration (Hoover-Dempsey et al. 2002,
Christenson, 2004, Marotz & Kupzyk, 2018). This study was designed to examine the efficacy of
Family-School Communication training to support teachers in expanding their knowledge on
how to enhance their family-school partnership with the parents of their students. The training
included content on (a) two-way communication styles and the power of positive contacts, (b)
leading and facilitating difficult conversations, and (c) and creating ways to celebrate student
success with the families. In addition, the participants were provided with the ongoing
communication reflection tool to help them self-monitor and stay on track with connecting with
families on a regular basis.
The Family-School Communication training was developed based on evidence-based strategies
and adopted the framework of Kupzyk & Poch (2023) handbook on Family-Engaged Education
Training (Project FEET): Taking Steps to Build Meaningful Family-School Partnerships. Based
on the hypothetical results, the Family-School Communication training was effective in
increasing the number of positive contacts between teachers and parents. The data demonstrated
that there was an immediate and significant increase in the number of positive contacts after the
training. The second research question asked: how will the Family-School Communication
Training affect teacher’s perception of the parent-teacher relationship? The hypothesized results
demonstrate that each participant rated the quality of the parent-teacher relationship higher with
a parent they considered having a difficult relationship with after the training.

Limitations and Future Directions

If this study were to be conducted, it would be important to consider the following limitations.
First, all measures in the current study were self-report scales (ongoing communication reflection
tool, PTRS). Self-reported measures are subject to biases, such as individuals making more
socially acceptable responses due to reactivity, which poses a serious threat to the validity of the
self-reported data. Second, the two-factor structure of the PTRS currently lacks sufficient
confirming evidence since there are few cross-validation studies that provide support for the
PTRS. In addition, there are still no psychometrically sound scales that are known to measure all
aspects of the parent-teacher relationship validly (Dawson & Wymbs, 2016). Future research
should further examine the reliability and validity of the PTRS. Third, the teachers did not have
the opportunity to rehearse the communication strategies with parents during the training
process, making it unclear how effectively teachers used the strategies with parents. Fourth, a
summative assessment was used to evaluate the teachers' knowledge and comprehension after the
training. Procedural integrity data was not recorded during the training, making it difficult to
identify certain strategies the participants may need more practice role-playing with a trainer.
Further research should incorporate a procedural checklist that specifies the essential
components of the communication training to assess the percentage of steps completed correctly
during the role-play activity during the training.

(see p. 86-108, APA manual and tables) 20 points

A. Brief discussion of expected results: What would you expect to find if you actually
carried this study out and why (should be based on past findings in the literature
whenever possible). You can include graphs or sample data analysis if it allows you
to better describe hypothesized results.
Sandra L. Christenson (2004) The Family-School Partnership: An Opportunity to Promote the
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The Parent-Teacher Relationship Scale-II (Vickers & Minke, 1995) examines quality of the
home-school relationship, including aspects of mutual respect, dependability, shared
expectations, and communication with each other

Dawson, A. E., & Wymbs, B. T. (2016). Validity and utility of the parent–teacher
relationship scale–II. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 34(8), 751-764.
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