As part of their response to the findings of their report, State of the States: Family, School, and Community Engagement Within State Educator Licensure Requirements,  which showed that nearly 70 percent of states do not require that future teachers receive training in family engagement, the National Association for Family, School, and Community Engagement (NAFSCE) has organized representatives from institutions of higher education and state education agencies to serve on its Family Engagement Consortium on Pre-Service Educator Preparation. The Consortium brings together representatives from state education agencies, select teaching colleges, and leading educational organizations to consider promising new approaches to preparing future educators for family engagement.

Michele Myers, Ph.D., Clinical Associate Professor at the College of Education, will lead the South Carolina contingent of the Consortium along with Yolande' Anderson, Director of Family and Community Engagement at the State Department of Education, Anthony Pittman, Ph.D., Dean of the School of Education at Claflin University, and James Ritter, Ph.D., Education Associate at the South Carolina State Department of Education. The team’s goal is to create curriculum centered on family engagement for teachers in training. Other members include Claflin University’s Dean of Education and members of the South Carolina Departments of Education and Family and Community Engagement. When asked about her goals for the team, Myers responded:

“It is my goal that we will work collaboratively to create a comprehensive framework that includes the ideas and perspectives of key stakeholders who are essential in the overall wellbeing of every child and that framework will be used in colleges and universities as we begin to prepare our preservice teachers for the important work of educating children in ways that honor their humanity.”

The Consortium’s purpose is to work together to develop a framework for training future teachers in effectively engaging families and establishing trusted relationships with them. While discussing how greater family engagement could be helpful in South Carolina communities, Anderson explained: “Research continues to suggest the more involved/engaged parents are with their child’s learning the greater success the child has in school.  With the current climate of education, family engagement is more important now than ever before.”

Pittman also commented, saying that "...it has become increasingly difficult for educational establishments to readily identify how help could be provided. Expanding outreach efforts and perhaps employing intrusive support mechanisms may prove helpful to the citizens of South Carolina."

This framework will include culturally responsive family engagement and higher education curricula, including recommendations for coursework, mentoring/supervision, field experiences, and state policy. The framework will address both educator and administrator preparation programs.

Founded in 2014, the National Association for Family, School, and Community Engagement is the first membership association focused solely on advancing family, school, and community engagement. Its mission is to advance high-impact policies and practices for family, school, and community engagement to promote child development and improve student achievement. NAFSCE is based in Alexandria, VA.