School Counselor Leadership in School‐Family‐Community Partnerships

Fostering Educational Resilience and Opportunities in Urban Schools Through Equity-Focused School–Family–Community Partnerships

“…However, Yosso (2005) asserted that these reforms perpetuate the negative discourse of parent noninvolvement in families of color and situate these families as part of the problem. Indeed, low-income families and families of color are more likely to be characterized by teachers and other school staff as uninvolved in their children’s education and least likely to be involved in the traditional involvement activities that permeate the American school system (Baquedano-López et al, 2013; Bryan et al, 2019; Gaitan, 2004; Lareau, 2003; Lareau & Horvat, 1999; Lawrence-Lightfoot, 2003).…”

“…This noninvolvement (or disengagement, as Dyrness [2011] described it) may result from racial and cultural boundaries and mistrust that frequently exist between schools and students’ families and communities and from a lack of cultural awareness and sensitivity on the part of teachers and other school staff who misunderstand the ways in which African American, Latino, immigrant, and other minority families are involved in their children’s education (Baquedano-López et al, 2013; Bower & Griffin, 2011; Bryan et al, 2019). Further, unequal power dynamics also present a barrier between school staff and low-income and minority families who often have little power in schools (Bryan et al, 2019; Kim & Bryan, 2017; Kim et al, 2018). For partnerships in urban schools to be effective in fostering resilience, school staff must consider the systemic, environmental, and sociocultural factors in urban schools and communities that act as barriers to parent and family engagement.…”

“…These partnerships must focus on reducing inequities in opportunity and achievement between students in urban and nonurban schools and on reducing the power inequities and cultural barriers between school staff and family members. School counselors and other school staff must embrace strengths-based, equity-focused, and culturally appropriate traditional and nontraditional types of involvement (Bryan, 2005; Bryan et al, 2019).…”

“…Specifically, for urban student populations that happen to be disproportionately Black and Latino and low-income, school–family–community partnerships can help address the many obstacles and stressors in schools and the larger society by providing children with a full range of needed programs and services that support their resilience and success. For example, school–family–community partnerships provide innovative strategies to address the disproportionality in suspensions and expulsion of Black students and provide the social capital and access to pathways for college and career access (Bryan et al, 2013, 2017, 2019; Bryan & Henry, 2012; Garrow & Kaggwa, 2012). Past research has shown that when school–family–community partnerships were implemented with Black male students, these students had higher scores on academic achievement tests, higher grade point averages, and increased reading achievement and attendance rates (Henry, 2014; Jeynes, 2007, 2011).…”

“…School staff often do not know how to build equity-focused school–family–community partnerships that reduce inequities in student achievement and opportunities and school-family power imbalances (Smrekar & Cohen-Vogel, 2001). Therefore, this article details a partnership process model (Bryan & Henry, 2012; Bryan et al, 2019) that provides concrete strategies for school counselors and other educators who wish to build equity-focused partnerships to enhance resilience, learning, and opportunities for students.…”