Buffalo Public Schools asks families to weigh in on family engagement policy as resource centers, volunteer rules roll out

Dr. Jennifer Rich, director of the Buffalo Public Schools Department of Family and Community Engagement, led a public review of Board policy 3170 on family and community engagement and invited written feedback from parents, staff and community partners.

The session focused on the district’s research-based family engagement framework entering its third year and the operational rules the policy spells out for parent groups. Dr. Rich said the policy establishes district, school and family responsibilities and that related documents and a short feedback survey would be posted in the chat and on the district website. "Please make sure you memorialize that in writing, in the survey," Dr. Rich told attendees.

Several participants urged clearer, more inclusive language. "I don't see language in there about our children that are without parents or caregivers," said Miss Barr, a community member, who asked the district…