EMPOWERING and SUPPORTING ALL FAMILIES
At the Santa Cruz County Office of Education, we believe that strong partnerships between families, schools, and communities are essential to student success. Our Family Engagement program supports this mission by empowering families, strengthening community connections, and partnering with districts to implement effective, research-based practices. Whether we are supporting COE programs directly or helping school teams build more inclusive environments, our goal is to ensure every family feels welcomed, informed, and equipped to support their child’s education.
FAMILY ENGAGEMENT COLLABORATIVE
A cornerstone of this work is the Family Engagement Collaborative — a countywide professional learning community that brings together site- and district-level family engagement specialists from across Santa Cruz County. The Collaborative provides professional development, coaching, and resource-sharing to foster strong and positive partnerships between families, educators, and the community. Drawing on the work of Dr. Karen Mapp and other national thought leaders, the Collaborative builds local capacity to lead family engagement with purpose and impact. As one participant shared, “This is truly a priceless opportunity to learn and grow into a more effective, strong, family engagement leader.”
Resources for Educators
“Family engagement is a full, equal, and equitable partnership among families, educators, and community partners to promote children’s learning and development from birth through college and career.”
— Dr. Karen Mapp
Educators understand that strong partnerships with families are critical to student success. Decades of research consistently show that effective family engagement leads to improved academic achievement, stronger social-emotional development, and better long-term outcomes for students. However, national studies also reveal a gap: educators — including teachers, support staff, and administrators — often receive limited professional development on how to build and sustain these vital partnerships.
The Santa Cruz County Office of Education is working to bridge this gap by offering professional learning opportunities focused on high-impact family engagement strategies. One of our key resources is the 5 Essential Components for Transformational Family Engagement, a framework developed and adopted by the Family Engagement Collaborative during the 2023–24 school year.
The Family Engagement Collaborative also serves as an ongoing professional learning community, connecting family engagement specialists from school sites and districts across the county. Through shared learning, resource exchange, and support, the Collaborative helps build capacity to create strong, positive, and equitable partnerships between families, educators, and the broader community.
Interested in professional development for yourself or your team? Request Family Engagement PD using this Inquiry Form.
Frameworks & Guides
- Essential Components for Transformational Family Engagement: A comprehensive guide developed by the Santa Cruz County Family Engagement Collaborative, outlining a framework to help educators and administrators strengthen school-family partnerships.
- Family Engagement Framework (CDE): CA guidance on building school-family partnerships.
- Family Engagement Framework – Spanish (CDE): Spanish version of the CDE framework.
- Family Engagement Toolkit – Continuous Improvement Through an Equity Lens (CDE): Equity-focused tools for improving family engagement.
- Family Engagement Core Competencies (NAFSCE – National Association for Family, School and Community Engagement): key skills for engaging families.
- The Dual Capacity Building Framework (Dr. Karen Mapp): One of most widely-regarded models for building staff/family partnership capacity.
- Epstein’s Framework of Six Types of Involvement (Dr. Joyce Epstein: A research-based framework outlining six key ways schools, families, and communities can partner to support student success.
Professional Organizations & Learning Opportunities
- California Family and Community Engagement Initiative: State-led effort to strengthen family-school partnerships
- National Association for Family, School and Community Engagement: National organization advancing effective family engagement.
- HarvardX Introduction to Family Engagement: Free online course on family engagement basics.
Recommended Reading
- Beyond the Bake Sale – Dr. Karen Mapp
- School, Family and Community Partnerships – Your Handbook for Action – Joyce Epstein
- Everyone Wins! The Evidence for Family-School Partnerships and Implications for Practice by Mapp, Henderson, Cuevas
- Family and Community Partnerships: Promising Practices for Teachers and Teacher Educators, NAFSCE
- Powerful Partnerships: A Teacher’s Guide to Engaging Families for Student Success – Dr. Karen Mapp
- The Powerful Partnerships Family Engagement Action Guide – Dr. Karen Mapp
- Engage Every Family – Steve Constantino
RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES
Families are the heart of our school community. Whether you’re looking for college readiness programs, career pathways, mental health services, or resources for multilingual, mixed-status, or special education families — we’re here to help.
Explore this page to discover how the Santa Cruz County Office of Education and our local partners are working together to support your family’s success, well-being, and educational journey.
Community & Family Support
- 211 Santa Cruz County – Connects individuals to local resources, including housing, food, and health services.
- Santa Cruz County Housing Resource Guide: Offers a comprehensive directory of housing assistance programs in Santa Cruz County, including rent payment assistance, affordable housing options, and emergency shelters, in partnership with local organizations.
- Community Bridges Family Resource Collective: Offers free, bilingual, and culturally responsive services across six centers in Santa Cruz County and the Pajaro Valley. Programs include food distribution, mental health counseling, parenting classes, public benefits enrollment, youth tutoring, and housing support.
Education & School Navigation
- District and School Info: An overview of the 10 public school districts in Santa Cruz County, including contact information, district boundaries, and enrollment details to help families identify and connect with their local schools.
- Alternative Education Programs: Information about the Santa Cruz County Office of Education’s alternative education school sites, offering families details on various programs tailored to meet diverse student needs.
- All District Calendars: Academic calendars for all Santa Cruz County school districts, detailing key dates such as the start and end of the school year, holidays, and staff development days.
- Santa Cruz County School Directory: A comprehensive directory of public and private schools in Santa Cruz County, organized by district and school type, to find contact information, grade levels served, and other key details.
College & Career Readiness
- College and Career Collaborative: A partnership aiming to increase postsecondary access and attainment for students in Santa Cruz County.
- College Readiness: Engage in initiatives like College and Career Week and school visits to build a college-going culture.
- College Search: Utilize platforms to research colleges, compare programs, and find the best fit for your goals.
Financial Aid & Savings Programs
- FAFSA® Application | Federal Student Aid: Determine eligibility for federal financial assistance.
- California Dream Act Application: Apply for state-funded financial aid in California.
- CalKIDS: A state program providing eligible students with initial deposits of a minimum of $500 into college savings accounts.
- Semillitas: A local initiative offering seed funding for college savings accounts to children born in Santa Cruz County.
Career Exploration & Youth Development
- Sueños Workforce Development program: Supports teens and young adults in developing workplace skills.
- COE Academic Competitions/Student Enrichment Programs: Includes Language Ambassadors, STEAM Expo, Math Contest, Mock Trial, Poetry Out Loud, Spelling Bee.
- Your Future is Our Business: Connects students with career opportunities.
- COE Student Leadership & Engagement: Supports student voice, leadership, and civic engagement through youth-led programs and countywide initiatives.
Adult Education & Workforce Development
- Career Training for Adults: Offers adult learners opportunities to gain technical skills and certifications in various fields including dental assisting, building trades, wildland fire-fighting
- Plazas Comunitarias: Provides Spanish-speaking adults with educational programs to improve literacy and complete primary and secondary education.
- Career Advancement Charter (CAC): A program for adults to earn their high school diploma while gaining academic and technical skills.
Emotional Well-being & Support Services
- COE Wellness Resources for Families: The Santa Cruz County Office of Education’s SEL & Wellness Resources for Families page provides families with curated tools and activities to support emotional well-being and resilience, including mental health support services, stress management strategies, and engaging wellness experiences.
- Family Groups & Classes Calendar: Provides a schedule of local parenting groups, wellness classes, and support workshops for families.
- NAMI Santa Cruz County: Provides free support groups, educational classes, and advocacy services for individuals and families impacted by mental health challenges.
- Encompass Community Services: Provides comprehensive health and human services, including mental health counseling and substance use treatment, to Santa Cruz County residents.
- Pajaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance (PVPSA): Delivers health education, mental health services, and substance use prevention to children, youth, and families in the Pajaro Valley.
School Safety
- COE Cyber Safety Resources: Provides tools and guides to help families navigate the digital landscape safely and responsibly.
- Vigilant Parent Initiative | Silicon Valley ICAC: Educates parents on social media and technology use, promoting awareness and prevention strategies to protect children online.
- Standard Command Response for Schools (SCRS): Learn about the unified approach to school safety and emergency response training utilized by local law enforcement agencies, fire departments, school districts, and the Santa Cruz County Office of Education.
- Human Trafficking Resource Guide: To support human trafficking education, awareness, and intervention, the Santa Cruz COE provides a non-exhaustive resource list for families and educators.
- Opioid & Overdose Prevention: The Santa Cruz County Office of Education provides opioid and overdose prevention resources, including naloxone (Narcan) availability in schools, staff training, and educational materials for families.
Parenting Support & Education
- Positive Discipline Community Resources: Offers workshops and support groups to help parents foster respectful and effective communication with their children.
- Triple P – Positive Parenting Program: Provides evidence-based parenting strategies through group classes and individual sessions to promote positive child development.
Immigrant & Mixed-Status Families
- Sus Derechos: Offers information and resources to help immigrant and mixed-status families understand and exercise their rights within the Santa Cruz county community.
- Santa Cruz County Immigration Program (SCCIP): Assists immigrants with legal services, education, and resources to navigate the immigration system.
Families Experiencing Homelessness
- COE’s Student in Transition Program: Provides educational support and resources to homeless children and youth in Santa Cruz County, ensuring their enrollment and success in school through the implementation of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.
- 211 Santa Cruz County: A free, 24/7 information and referral service connecting Santa Cruz County residents to local health, housing, and human services, including emergency shelter and rental assistance
- Santa Cruz County Housing Resource Guide: Offers a comprehensive directory of housing assistance programs in Santa Cruz County, including rent payment assistance, affordable housing options, and emergency shelters, in partnership with local organizations.
Families Needing Childcare
- COE’s Child Development Resource Center: The Santa Cruz County Office of Education’s Child Development Resource Center (CDRC) offers free child care referrals, support with subsidy applications, and guidance to help families find quality early learning programs that meet their needs. CDRC also assists child care providers with licensing, training, and professional development.
Families with Students with Special Needs
- COE’s Special Education Program: Provides specialized educational services for students with disabilities from birth to age 22, including early intervention, autism support, and transition programs.
- North Santa Cruz County SELPA: A consortium of local educational agencies collaborating to ensure quality special education services and compliance with federal and state regulations.
- SELPA Parent Resources: Offers guidance and tools to assist parents in navigating the special education process, including information on rights, evaluations, and IEP preparation.
- How to Prepare for an IEP: Provides strategies for parents to effectively participate in IEP meetings, such as organizing records and setting clear goals.
- Special Parents Information Network (SPIN): A nonprofit organization offering peer support, resources, and advocacy for families of children with special needs in Santa Cruz and San Benito Counties.
LGBTQ+ Students & Families
- COE LGBTQ+ Students and Families: The Santa Cruz County Office of Education (COE) is dedicated to fostering safe, inclusive, and supportive environments for LGBTQ+ students and their families. Through initiatives like the countywide LGBTQ+ Task Force, partnerships with organizations such as The Diversity Center and the Safe Schools Project, and resources including inclusive curricula and student leadership programs, the COE actively works to promote equity and well-being for all students.
- The Diversity Center: Provides advocacy, education, and community-building programs for LGBTQ+ individuals and families in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties.
- Santa Cruz Public Library LGBTQ+ Book List: Offers curated reading lists featuring LGBTQ+ themes for various age groups to promote inclusivity and understanding.
- PFLAG: Offers support, education, and advocacy for LGBTQ+ individuals and their families, fostering a community of acceptance and understanding.
- Santa Cruz Safe Schools Program: Works with schools and districts to promote safe and inclusive environments for LGBTQ+ youth through education and advocacy.
- TransFamilies of Santa Cruz County: Provides support, education, and advocacy for families of transgender and gender-diverse children and youth, fostering a community of acceptance.
Families Involved with Foster Care
- Foster Youth Services Coordinating Program (FYSCP) – Santa Cruz County Office Of Education: Provides educational case management, advocacy, and coordination to improve academic outcomes for students in foster care, including those involved with child welfare services.
- District Foster Youth Liaisons: Serve as points of contact within each school district to support the enrollment, placement, and educational success of foster youth, ensuring compliance with relevant laws and policies.
- Transition Age Youth Program (TAY): The Santa Cruz County Human Services Department’s Transition Age Youth (TAY) program supports current and former foster youth aged 15–24 in their journey to adulthood by providing counseling, life skills training, a drop-in center, and subsidized housing assistance. Services include the Independent Living Program (ILP) for ages 15–21, focusing on self-sufficiency skills, and the Transitional Housing Program for ages 18–24, offering financial aid and emotional support to help youth achieve stability and independence.
- Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA): Trains volunteers to advocate for the best interests of children in the foster care system.