Family Engagement in Uncertain Times

In times of uncertainty, strong family-school partnerships are more important than ever, especially for immigrant communities navigating complex systems.

This 90-minute webinar highlights diverse approaches to engaging immigrant families. Participants will leave with actionable ideas to foster trust, communication and meaningful collaboration.

This training was originally held on April 28, 2026.

Learning objectives

Participants will be able to:

• Identify effective, culturally responsive strategies for engaging immigrant families
• Apply practical approaches, such as home visits and family literacy supports, to strengthen communication and partnership between educators and immigrant caregivers.

Presented by:

• Prisila Isais, EdD, Supervisor, Family and Community Empowerment, Sacramento City Unified School District
• Jannelly Villegas, Community Partnership Coordinator, South City Confluence Academy
• Anna Gardner-Andrews, Program Leader, Home Works
• Laura Straub, Family Literacy Coordinator, The Immigrant Learning Center

Watch the full recording of the training on Zoom

Prisila Isais, EdD, Supervisor, Family and Community Empowerment, Sacramento City Unified School District

How can you figure out what students and families are thinking? What community organizations are available for support? Dr. Isais gives an overview of theoretical frameworks of engagement to then discuss practical strategies for educators who want to serve the needs of their communities.

Check out these resources:

• Joyce Epstein’s School-Family-Community Partnership Model (EBSCO)
• Whose culture has capital? (Tara J. Yosso, Race Ethnicity and Education)
• Dr. Karen L. Mapp, Harvard Graduate School of Education (Google Scholar)

Jannelly Villegas, Community Partnership Coordinator, South City Confluence Academy

Anna Gardner-Andrews, Program Leader, Home Works

Home Works is an organization that helps to build bridges between home and school. Learn how it coaches teachers to implement a framework at the school level and what the impact looks like among families, with examples that could inform any of your future engagement efforts.

Check out these resources:

• Home Works official website
• Home Works Resources
• The Dual Capacity Building Framework for Family-School Partnerships (Dr. Karen L. Mapp)

Laura Straub, Family Literacy Coordinator, The Immigrant Learning Center

Families want to be engaged in their children’s education. They just might not have the tools to do so or the resources to help them learn. In this presentation, Straub discusses The Immigrant Learning Center’s Family Literacy Program, how it equips parents and caregivers with the tools to provide for their children and specific trends she sees in discussions with her students.