In recognition of Family Engagement Awareness Month, the Maine DOE is highlighting resources available to help schools and families build meaningful, lasting partnerships that support student learning and success.
In recognition of November as Family Engagement Awareness Month, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) is highlighting resources available to help schools and families build meaningful, lasting partnerships that support student learning and success.
A key resource is a newly released Building Bridges: A Framework for Family Engagement in Maine. The framework provides guidance for building strong relationships between schools and families, including shared terminology, the benefits and foundational principles of family engagement, and strategies for connecting families to student learning. It also outlines a continuum of family leadership development and a nine-step approach schools can use to develop and strengthen family engagement strategies.
Strong family-school partnerships can play an important role in supporting student success, including improving school attendance and helping families connect with the resources and services they need.
To further support schools in putting the family engagement framework into practice, the Maine DOE Office of School and Student Supports will offer a Friday Lunch and Learn series for educators beginning November 13. Each 45-minute session, held from noon to 12:45 p.m., will include a brief presentation followed by breakout discussions where participants can share ideas and successful practices from their schools and districts.
The series will take place from November 2026 through April 2027. Learn more and register for the Lunch and Learn series here.
2026 Maine Family Engagement Survey
Maine parents and caregivers are invited to participate in a 2026 Maine Family Engagement Survey. Offered in partnership with the Consortium for Engaging Families Across Maine (CEFAM), the survey will inform statewide efforts to provide resources and services that help Maine schools strengthen partnerships among families, schools, and communities.
The five-minute survey is available online in six languages: English, عربي, (Arabic), Português Brasileiro (Brazilian Portuguese), Français (French), Soomaali (Somali), or Español (Spanish).
Take the 2026 Maine Family Engagement Survey.
All Maine parents and caregivers are encouraged to participate in the survey and share their perspectives. For questions or to request a paper copy of the survey, contact evaluation@maec.org.
Maine DOE Launches Framework for Family Engagement in Maine
