Outreach 

Outreach - From Invitations to Belonging

It’s common to hear, “Families aren’t coming to ELAC.” But families care deeply about their children’s education. When we make space to listen, families tell us what they need: clarity, relationships, and a welcoming experience. Strong outreach opens the door and helps move ELAC along a continuum—from “We’re invited,” to “We’re included,” to “We belong and lead.”

The quotes and insights below come from Family Listening Sessions with multilingual families—families who attend ELAC, and families who care deeply but haven’t yet felt connected, invited, or able to come. Their words point to five outreach practices that strengthen clarity, connection, and belonging in ELAC communities. 

1. Articulate Clearly What ELAC Is

Across many schools and multiple districts, families shared a similar sentiment: they aren’t sure what ELAC is, who it’s for, or what to expect. 

Family Voice

• “A lot of parents don’t know what ELAC is. They want to know more about how to help their child, but don’t know that (ELAC) is where the info is shared.”

• “Who is ELAC for? I wanted to go but I didn’t get invited and I was told it was only for parents of students who haven’t reclassified.”

• “It's confusing when there’s not regular meetings. Months go by without meetings. And it’s hard to make connections that way.”

• “I want to know what the topics are ahead of time, so I can decide if I should come or not.”

What This May Be Communicating

• Families may not attend if it isn’t clear what ELAC is, who it’s for, or what to expect

• If topics aren’t shared ahead of time, families can’t tell whether it’s worth rearranging their schedules

• When families are confused, it often means the school’s messaging hasn’t been clear or consistent yet

2. Leverage Teachers as Trusted Messengers

Family Voice

“I trust my child’s teacher the most, but they never mention ELAC so it doesn’t seem that important.”

What This May Be Communicating

• Families interpret silence as a signal.

• Relational outreach is the most effective.

Ideas to Try

• We know that person-to-person outreach is the most effective but, in most schools, one staff member can’t do it all alone

• Ask other staff members who have trusting relationships with families to support. In elementary school it may be teachers. In middle and high school it may be counselors, coaches and case managers. 

• Ready-to-use outreach scripts are included in the Toolkit to support your ELAC team.

• Include ELAC announcements in classroom newsletters. 

3. Use Peer-to-Peer Outreach

Family Voice

• “I’m embarrassed to go. It’s mostly people who go all the time, and I don't know who I would sit with.”

• “The principal wants me to come to an ELAC meeting but doesn't even smile or say hi in the hallway.”

• “I like talking to other families that are facing the same things with their kids as me.”

What This May Be Communicating

• Families are more likely to attend when someone they trust invites them personally.
  Belonging begins before the meeting starts.

• When invitations come from another parent—someone who understands their experience—ELAC feels less intimidating and more relational.

Peer Outreach in Action

At one school, ELAC participation grew significantly after families stepped into outreach roles. What began with just a few attendees expanded through a layered, family-led approach.

With support from the school, families:

• Spoke about ELAC at Back-to-School Night

• Tabled at school events

• Created a parent phone tree

• Started a WhatsApp group

Ideas to Try

• Identify and support ELAC parent leaders who are interested in outreach.

• Encourage “bring a friend” invitations to help new families feel more comfortable.

• Share the Toolkit’s ready-to-use parent invitation scripts with families 

• Support parent text chains or WhatsApp groups for reminders and connection.

• Invite family leaders to serve as greeters and sit with new families during their first meeting.

4. Use Multiple Methods of Communication

Family Voice

• “I usually find out about the meeting after the meeting is over.”

• “I never hear about the meetings but I would want to go.”

What This May Be Communicating

• One method rarely reaches everyone.

• Families receive information in different ways.

• When outreach relies on a single platform, families may miss the message, even if they care deeply.

Ideas to Try

• Send reminders through multiple channels (flyer, text, ParentSquare, classroom mention, personal invitation).

• Provide advance notice and follow-up reminders.

• Ensure messages are translated accurately and consistently.

• Pair digital outreach with relational outreach. 

• Person-to-person outreach is most effective

Outreach Tools & Templates

Outreach is easier when no one has to start from scratch.
The ELAC Toolkit includes ready-to-use resources to support these outreach practices:

• Editable Scripts and Talking Points 

  • Family-to-family scripts

  • Admin scripts

  • Teacher scripts 

  • Newsletter scripts

• Editable ELAC flyer template 

• ELAC Event Tabling Toolkit

Outreach Starts in the Room

Outreach helps families walk through the door. But the best outreach is what happens in the room because that is what builds trust, creates belonging, and brings families back.

Retention grows when ELAC feels:

• Warm and relationship-centered

• Meaningful and focused on multilingual learners’ success

• Designed for family voice and leadership
  
  

When connection, content, and leadership align, outreach becomes sustainable because families don’t just come once. They return, and they invite others.

Reflection

Articulate Clearly What ELAC Is
If a family asked, “What is ELAC and why should I come?” would the ELAC team give the same clear, welcoming answer?

Leverage Teachers as Trusted Messengers
How are we intentionally asking teachers and other staff to personally invite families to ELAC?

Use Peer-to-Peer Outreach
Are families only being invited by staff, or have we created space for families to invite and welcome one another?

Use Multiple Methods of Communication
Are we relying on one communication method—or are we using layered outreach that reflects how families actually receive information?

Make ELAC Visible
Does ELAC feel central and visible across campus?

Outreach Is One Part of ELAC Design

Participation grows when outreach aligns with:

• Meaningful Content — Moving from presentations to partnership

• Planning & Access — Predictable schedules and thoughtful logistics

• Family Leadership — Families stepping into visible advisory and outreach roles

Explore the connected areas of the Toolkit to strengthen your full ELAC design.