Family Conversation

Overview

The Family Conversation is a relationship-building activity that occurs between kindergarten educators and families of entering kindergarteners at the beginning of each academic year. This activity is designed to help educators learn about their students which, in turn, allows them to create more inclusive, personalized classroom environments. It also provides an opportunity to initiate trust, familiarity, and positive relationships between families and schools, leading to ongoing collaboration throughout the school year.

The Family Conversation emerged from OAR 581-022-2130, which required the implementation of a “community-informed information gathering process at the kindergarten level”. It is currently in the pilot phase, meaning it is not yet implemented statewide. All public K-12 schools in Oregon are encouraged to participate in the pilot.

Please email Sody Fearn, K-2 Balanced Assessment Specialist to learn more about the Family Conversation.

Family Conversation Background

In 2023, Oregon launched the Early Learning Transition Check-In: A Collaborative Engagement with Community (ELTC). This is a joint effort between two agencies: The Oregon Department of Education and Oregon’s Department of Early Learning and Care to create a tool that educators can use at the beginning of kindergarten that supports anti-racist practices and a whole child=approach, fostering a safe and supportive environment in which Oregon’s young children and families can learn and thrive.

The Early Learning Transition Check-In (ELTC) introduces the Family Conversation as a way for families and educators to share information and build relationships during the transition to kindergarten. This approach is grounded in authentic family engagement research of the National Association for Family, School, and Community Engagement, Head Start Family Engagement principles and the research approach of the Coalition of Communities of Color. The Family Conversation replaces Oregon’s Kindergarten Assessment that was suspended in 2021 due to the challenges in administering it during the pandemic.

During this suspension, ODE and DELC engaged in community conversations, hosted in collaboration with Oregon’s Kitchen Table—to better understand concerns from educators and families. These concerns included:

Confusion around purpose and use.
the timing as the academic portions were given at one of the first encounter with a child and educator.
concerns around culturally responsiveness of the assessment, including, but not limited to, assessing students who speak languages other than English
the risk of implicit bias on the Approaches to Learning measure.

The Family Conversation emerged from these community conversations and the findings from Oregon’s Kitchen Table and continue to influence its continuous improvement.

Each fall, every kindergarten family meets one-on-one with their kindergarten teacher. These conversations:

Offer a structured two-way connection, “getting-to-know-you” opportunity for educators, parents/caregivers, and children.
Allow families to share insights about children’s early learning experiences and family context.
Provide time to ask questions.
Strengthen relationships and trust between families and schools.

The Family Conversation advances equity by:

Taking a holistic view of each child.
Giving families a voice in sharing what matters most to them.
Shifting the focus from “child readiness” to systems being ready for students.

The professional learning materials offer a variety of elements that support Anti-Racist assessment practices. These tools include:

Culturally Responsive Scheduling
Deep Listening Mindset
ODE’s Implicit Bias Module
Assurance Techniques
Guidance on how to work with an Interpreter

While this approach advances equity and aligns with key Oregon initiatives, including the goals of Student Success Plans and Raise Up Oregon 2.0, school districts need adequate time to prepare for implementation. The Family Conversation represents a shift from the traditional school year model, where kindergarten students typically begin classes on the same day as grades 1–12. By beginning the school year with a Family Conversation, educators will be able to connect with and learn about the children and families entering their class which will support in creating environments where all children and families, especially those from historically marginalized communities, feel a sense of belonging and empowerment from the very beginning.