Bridging the gap between educators and families is no small feat, but Rochester Public Schools (RPS) in Rochester, Minnesota, have taken a bold step toward making it happen with their Caregiver and Parent Empowerment (CAPE) initiative in partnership with the Parent Institute for Quality Education’s National Programs.

In 2021-2022, RPS found itself at a crossroads in its approach to family engagement. The district had long recognized the importance of involving families in their children’s education, yet their efforts, while earnest, needed to be more cohesive and unified. As Jennifer Spindler-Krage, Coordinator of Family Engagement at RPS explained, “We needed to, and we knew we could, do better in supporting our families in navigating the school system. We wanted to keep transforming the school system, but we also needed to empower the families to navigate and to advocate for their students.”

Recognizing that students spend only about 19% of their time in school, with the remaining 81% spent in other settings, RPS understood the need to extend educational and emotional support beyond the school day. To ensure holistic development, educators must work closely with parents and caregivers. “There was a lot of family engagement prior to this,” said Spindler-Krage, “but it was maybe done in certain ways in certain places, and we were looking for something that was more comprehensive, more unified, and intentional.”

To address this issue, the district selected the Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE) as their provider for the caregiver empowerment program, among other initiatives.

The implementation began in January 2024 at Gage Elementary School, a diverse and full-service community school known for its rich cultural, linguistic, and ethnic diversity. “We have really done a lot of identity work here, we are all about adding voice, lifting up, making sure our community gets everything that they need”, said Principal Kristopher Davidson.

CAPE is an adaptation of PIQE’s Family Engagement Program, customized specifically for RPS. A team from PIQE’s National Partnerships collaborated with local experts to align the curriculum with Minnesota’s state standards. Moreover, as each session was delivered, the team worked with Mechelle Severson, RPS Family Empowerment Specialist, to tailor the content to address the unique needs of the Rochester School District.

Veronica Lopez, Director of National Partnerships, explained, “Through our national partnerships, we essentially bring the entire PIQE office to the district. We train their staff and help implement family engagement programs using our curriculum.” While the district manages family recruitment and workshop facilitation, a customized curriculum is provided, employing a train-the-trainer model. This approach allows district staff to be trained and coached, equipping them to train others and sustain the program’s growth independently.

“We aimed to align the language and visuals with our district’s needs so that parents could navigate the program more easily. We focused on providing essential information clearly and ensuring that parents knew how to make their voices heard,” expressed Julie McLaren, Gage Community School Facilitator and lead in this initiative.

The program included two cohorts: one for English and Arabic-speaking families and another for Spanish-speaking families. The response was remarkable, with 35 families joining and participants diving deep into discussions right from the start.

As the weeks progressed, the community aspect of the program became evident. The group quickly became close-knit and even started their own weekly potlucks. Many shared personal stories, such as navigating the foster system and feeling disconnected from previous schools, expressing a strong desire to support their children better.

“It went really deep really fast,” said Principal Davidson. “It wasn’t the kind of group that opened up more and more as we went, they started open, and they stayed open the whole time.”

Most parents expressed their participation was driven by a desire to ensure their children had access to important opportunities and resources. One parent stated they wished to set their children up for success, while another shared, “I used to have a good grasp on how to support my children, but as they grow older and school becomes more challenging, I feel unsure about how to help them effectively.”

Over the eight-week PIQE program, participation remained robust, with attendance doubling from the first to the second week and maintaining that level throughout.

“The families that attended were not the traditional ones who usually participate in every event or committee. Instead, we had a good balance of both our expanding and neighborhood families, and the group was representative of all our diverse languages and ethnicities,” said Principal Davidson. “And that to me is a huge success.”

Principal Davidson attributes the high level of interest and participation to the healthy environment cultivated at Gage. “Families feel they can share different perspectives and still be valued and heard,” he noted.

Many parents said they didn’t know about the options for their children or what was necessary for graduation. They were unsure how to engage with teachers or navigate difficult conversations, explained McLaren. “Now, they feel more confident and informed about what to expect, from understanding graduation requirements to the curriculum and how to effectively advocate for their children.”

McLaren said that during the graduation ceremony, one of the parent speakers mentioned she didn’t think college was an option for her children, but now she is hopeful and believes it is achievable.

Following the conclusion of the program, there was an immediate shift in the school atmosphere, McLaren notes. Meetings between principals, teachers, and parents were quickly organized to address communication issues and ensure everyone was aligned. McLaren was amazed by the positive response from families and the strong sense of community and empowerment that the program fostered.  Parents felt empowered to reach out with their concerns, knowing that steps would be taken to resolve issues. “We’ve seen a significant increase in these productive conversations. This is truly powerful.”

McLaren added that moving forward, they are working on strategies to encourage teachers to actively invite families to engage with the curriculum. Moreover, they are exploring broader community initiatives to enhance literacy support for adults, striving to make significant progress in this area.

“We can’t do this work alone. Working together is essential for our kids’ success. It doesn’t happen when everything is siloed, or when teachers operate in isolation without collaborating. Parents have a unique perspective on their child’s dreams, desires, and what motivates them—insights that teachers might not fully grasp when managing a classroom of many students. Collaborating on this is crucial and critical to our success”, said McLaren.