Imagine a vast orchestra representing the diverse components of our education system. The federal government is the conductor, ensuring every section—states, districts, families, educators, communities, advocates, and researchers—plays in harmony. The conductor keeps the score aligned, elevating outcomes for every student. Without the conductor, the orchestra descends into cacophony, with some sections overpowering others and the overall performance suffering. This is the discordant future we face if federal leadership in family engagement is dismantled.  

Federal Leadership in Education Harmony 

For decades, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) has guided states and districts under a shared vison of equity and access. Its leadership has been especially critical in complex areas like Title I and in launching Statewide Family Engagement Centers (SFECs)—vital programs that equip districts with tools to engage families in meaningful ways. 

The Department has also served as a powerful convener, bringing together educators and organizations like ours to share cutting-edge, researched-backed practices that drive outcomes. But with the recent push to close the ED and effectively silence the once active and prolific Family and Community Engagement Team, we risk seeing all that progress unravel.  

Family engagement in education is not a luxury, nor should it be an afterthought of a downsized alternate bureaucracy that was never intended to manage critical functions of national education leadership. Family engagement is, in fact, a cornerstone of student success—especially for students from historically underserved communities.  

Why Federal Oversight Matters 

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) mandates that districts reserve at least 1% of their Title I funds for family engagement, a lifeline for schools serving low-income communities. This isn’t just a line item—it’s a recognition that relationships between educators and families have transformational effects on students, educators, families, schools, and communities. High-impact family engagement strategies, like home visits, thrive when aligned with these federal requirements, ensuring practices are equitable, consistent, and rooted in trust. But that alignment only works if federal oversight exists to: 

• Set clear standards for meaningful family-school partnerships. 

• Fund initiatives, like SFECs, which offer districts essential training. 

• Protect equity by holding states accountable for reaching all families. 

Without this compass, even well-meaning districts may veer off course, diverting funds to fill budget gaps or adopting fragmented approaches that leave some families, and their students, behind. 

A Quiet Dismantling, A Loud Impact 

This administration’s March 20, 2025 Executive Order to dismantle the DOE puts at risk the very infrastructure that sustains family engagement. As my colleague Vito Borelli wrote in The 74, this move threatens to “atomize” community engagement efforts—leaving schools without coordination, vision, or shared resources. 

The consequences are already coming into view: 

Title I Fragmentation 

The Project 2025 blueprint proposes shifting Title I to the Department of Health and Human Services, converting it into a block grant with no federal accountability. This would allow states to disregard the 1% family engagement requirement, weakening one of the most effective tools we have for student success. 

Loss of Expertise and Reach 

SFECs—federally funded through ESSA—currently operate in just 11 states. They provide essential training on cultural competence, trauma-informed outreach, and evidence-based strategies. Without federal coordination and funding, these centers could disappear altogether, leaving districts to fend for themselves with no guidance or support. 

Privatization Pressures 

The Executive Order titled Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunity for Families aims to let parents use public funds—including Title I dollars—for private, charter, and faith-based school tuition. This redirection of funds threatens to erode the capacity of public schools to engage families, while sending public dollars to institutions with no obligation to foster or report on meaningful partnerships with families.   

Mending the Broken Strings: A Call for Leadership  

This is a call to action: our nation’s commitment to family engagement in schools needs to be reaffirmed, revitalized, and protected at the federal level. We must: 

1. Anchor Family Engagement in Federal Law 
   Even if the DOE is dismantled, Congress can legislate a permanent Office of Family Engagement to oversee Title I compliance and expand SFECs to all 50 states, with special attention to rural and underserved communities. 
2. Strengthen Title I Guardrails  
   Wherever Title I is housed, transparency must be non-negotiable. Districts should publicly report how they use family engagement funds, and those using evidence-based strategies and partnering with community organizations should be rewarded. 
3. Empower State and Local Leaders 
   States can adopt proven frameworks for high-impact family engagement and leverage Title  funds for educator training in family partnership strategies—making family engagement an integral part of teaching, not an add-on 
4. Build Coalitions 
   We must join forces with national organizations like the NEA, AFT, and National PTA to advocate for strong federal protections. Together, we can share stories and elevate the voices of families and educators who know what effective engagement looks like—and what it takes to sustain it. 

Re-Tuning the Score 

The noise is loud right now—a clash of competing agendas, vague directives, and rapid policy shifts. But we are not powerless. If we act with urgency and clarity, we can re-tune the federal instruments and restore harmony to family engagement in our schools. 

At the heart of every successful student is a village: educators, families, and communities working together. Like any symphony, this partnership requires not just effort—but vision, coordination, and leadership. 

Without strong federal guidance, we risk losing the very music of our children’s potential. Let’s not abandon them mid-performance.