Family and Civic Engagement

The ESC of Central Ohio, in collaboration with the Family and Children First Councils (FCFC) of Delaware and Franklin counties, provides leadership and assistance to school districts in meeting the House Bill 1 (HB1) Family and Civic Engagement mandates.

The goal of HB1 is threefold: decrease dropout rates, decrease truancy and increase graduation rates. In addition, HB1 requires the establishment of a Family and Civic Engagement team as well as a coordinator to lead it. The Family and Civic Engagement team is charged with reviewing non-academic barriers to education as well as drafting a plan to address them.

Family and Civic Engagement teams are comprised of schools, families as well as community agencies and businesses that will work to ensure that all children have the supports needed to graduate from high school, prepared to transition successfully to life, work and/or post-secondary educational environments. At the county level, the ESC will engage with the FCFC to develop a county-level plan.

Ohio’s goal is to have high-performing, district-based family and civic engagement teams that work with county FCFCs to systematically connect all children, youth and families who are in need to school- and community-based services and programs.

In its role, the ESC provides districts with technical support to facilitate the development and understanding of family and civic engagement plans and works to identify and implement solutions through a collaborated process. The Family and Civic Engagement Coordinators Network includes coordinators from school districts within Delaware, Franklin and Union counties. It is organized by the ESC in collaboration with the Franklin County Family and Children First Council.

Finally, the ESC serves on the Family and Children First Councils in Delaware, Franklin and Union counties and supports communication among the Ohio Department of Education, Family and Children First Councils and school districts.