Program Overview

Program Overview

The program "Family Engagement in Education: The Dual Capacity-Building Framework" is an 8-week course that focuses on building authentic family-school partnerships to foster equity, trust, and student success.

Course Details

• Course Length: 8 weeks
• Time Commitment: 2-3 hours per week
• Featuring faculty from: Harvard Graduate School of Education
• Class Duration: January 29, 2025 - January 28, 2026
• Certificate Price: $149

Course Description

The course explores the Dual Capacity-Building Framework, which was developed in partnership with the U.S. Department of Education. The framework focuses on incorporating takeaways into the school system and community to support student learning in school and at home. The course also emphasizes the importance of family-educator-community partnerships as a key to student success and seeks to understand socioeconomic factors and their impact on student outcomes.

Learning Outcomes

• Explore the Dual Capacity-Building Framework and its application in school systems and communities
• Understand the importance of family-educator-community partnerships in student success
• Seek to understand socioeconomic factors and their impact on student outcomes
• Learn from Harvard faculty
• Earn a certificate upon completion

Faculty

The course is led by Karen L. Mapp, Ed.D, a Senior Lecturer on Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Dr. Mapp has over 20 years of experience in researching and practicing family engagement in education and has served as a consultant to the United States Department of Education.

Program Type

The program is an individual course that can be taken for a verified certificate or audited for free. The verified certificate track provides unlimited access to full course materials, activities, tests, and forums, while the audit track offers limited access to course materials and activities.

Topics

The program covers topics such as:

• Family engagement in education
• Dual Capacity-Building Framework
• Family-educator-community partnerships
• Socioeconomic factors and student outcomes
• Equity, trust, and student success

Research Areas

The program is based on research conducted by Harvard University faculty, including Dr. Karen L. Mapp, and is informed by new research conducted during the Covid-19 pandemic. The program emphasizes the importance of developing meaningful, authentic, and trusting relationships between families and schools to drive better educational environments and student learning successes.