SACRAMENTO, Calif. — [September 18, 2023] — Due to popular demand, National Parent Teacher Home Visits Week (PTHV Week) is back. From September 18 to 23, 2023, schools and communities across the nation will come together to celebrate this unique initiative, emphasizing the profound benefits of forging meaningful relationships between educators and families through brief, trust-building visits outside of school. 

During this impactful week, participating schools and districts will showcase the benefits reaped when families and schools connect, including: 

• Home Visits with Educational Leaders: Schools and districts will conduct home visits to families—some accompanied by principals, superintendents, and other education leaders, to strengthen connections and foster understanding.
• Recognition and Awards: Outstanding teachers who conduct visits or actively raise awareness about the practice will be acknowledged for their dedication and commitment.
• Advocacy for Home Visits: Participants will advocate for the initiation or expansion of home visit programs, recognizing their vital role in enhancing the educational experience.
• Community Outreach: Information campaigns will inform the wider community about the numerous advantages of home visits, fostering support for this transformative practice.

“Parent Teacher Home Visits work—everywhere,” said Gina Martinez-Keddy, PTHV’s Executive Director. “I hear from practicing teachers home visits remind them of why they were drawn to teaching in the first place and give them a newfound resilience for staying in the profession. Home visits help families put skin in the game. They become much more invested in their children’s education. They show up. They help out, and they advocate for the school. And students get a boost from knowing their families and schools are now on the same team to help them succeed.”  

Parent Teacher Home Visits is a national organization empowering educators to establish strong relationships with families, thereby bolstering academic achievement and fostering social-emotional development in students. At the core of each home visit lies a conversation about the hopes and dreams parents and teachers have for the student. 

Extensive studies conducted by Johns Hopkins and RTI International have consistently demonstrated the effectiveness of Parent Teacher Home Visits. Home visits have a positive impact on reading and math proficiency, improve attendance, and increase student motivation. Moreover, they encourage students to apply to college, yield more school climate outcomes, and bring about transformative shifts in the mindsets of educators and families. 

As students return to school and the education sector strives to recover lost learning, families remain a critical component of the equation. However, several barriers often hinder productive partnerships. Educators trained in the Parent Teacher Home Visit model dismantle these barriers by fostering trust with families, ultimately leading to enhanced support and advocacy for their children’s learning. Parent Teacher Home Visits Week is a unique opportunity to showcase the profound transformations that can occur when schools and families unite. 

Last school year, even amidst the challenges posed by the pandemic, educators from 401 school sites nationwide conducted an impressive 30,168 Parent Teacher Home Visits. Parent Teacher Home Visits trained 2,390 new teachers in the PTHV model of home visits. The organization’s national network spans 28 states, plus Washington, DC, Saskatchewan, Canada, and continues to expand. 

For more information about Parent Teacher Home Visits Week, visit https://pthvp.org/national-pthv-week/.