“We wanted parent engagement to go deeper. We wanted it to go beyond the normal middle school meet and greet. We wanted parents to really feel like partners.”

Principal
Junior High School 98
South Bronx, New York City

New York City’s Junior High School 98 replaced the traditional parent-teacher conference when it adopted WestEd’s Academic Parent-Teacher Team (APTT) model of family engagement.

APTT is a system designed to increase student academic achievement by improving the quality and quantity of parent-teacher communication and interaction. Through three classroom APTT meetings and one in-depth individual conference each year, teachers coach parents to become engaged, knowledgeable members of the academic team.

In a video created by the city’s education department, the school’s parents, students, teachers, and principal discuss the powerful impact of APTT on student learning.

What kind of training went into the implementation of APTT in the school? Teachers and school leaders received professional learning opportunities and coaching from WestEd coaches to develop their skills and confidence to engage families in meaningful partnerships focused on students’ learning and achievement.

Learn more about APTT.

Video courtesy of The New York City Department of Education, Middle School Quality Initiative (MSQI) Stories.