About Us

Our Vision and Approach

Vision

All children, youth, and families realize their full potential because they have equal access and leverage the opportunities and systems of support critical to their success and well being.

Mission

The Family Engagement Institute bridges educational inequities by providing opportunities that strengthen the capacity of families, schools, and communities, working together to ensure the success of all students from early childhood through college.

Our Unique Approach

DUAL CAPACITY learning opportunities are provided for professionals and families together to build their capacity to engage in effective partnerships that support student achievement and development, "... Partnerships between home and school can only develop and thrive if both families and staff have the requisite collective capacity to engage in partnership." Partners in Education: A Dual Capacity-Building Framework for Family-School Partnerships, US Dept. of Education.

MULTI-GENERATIONAL - FEI PROGRAMS have been described as a multi-generational model Pathways to College for Two Generations. Foothill College faculty deliver FEI programs to our partner organizations where families and providers enroll as community college students benefiting from resources at both the main campus and the Sunnyvale Center.

Family Engagement is a SHARED RESPONSIBILITY among families, schools, and communities in which schools and community organizations are committed to reaching out to engage families in meaningful ways and families are committed to actively supporting their children's learning and development. We value the influence of family on the well-being of children and youth and are committed to all families being informed and engaged as powerful advocates.

 

 

Guiding Principles

• Accessibility: We make our programs accessible by removing barriers to create an equitable learning environment for all.

• Excellence: We assess our programs to learn, innovate, and improve best practices to ensure high quality.

• Collaboration: We build strong partnerships among families, schools, and community organizations to leverage resources and develop creative solutions where families, staff and educators are co-designers.

• Responsiveness: We work with out partners in authentic ways to create strategic site-specific solutions for families, schools and community organizations.