Project Appleseed believes we CAN end gun violence. The U.S. Secret Service found that most school shooters showed warning signs.

Teacher Home Visits

A Teacher's Journey

Our 30th Anniversary!

Seeds of Change

Appleseed's Origin Story

Project Appleseed Elevates Parent & Family Engagement in Public Schools

Leading the Way in Family Engagement: A Sample of Our Successful Schools! Join Us!

Central School District, Independence, OR
Whiteriver Unified Sch. Dist., Whiteriver AZ
Benton County School District, Ashland, MS
Swakopmund Christian Acad., Nambia, Africa
East Aurora School District, IL
Holyoke Public Library & Holyoke Public Schools, Together for Families, MA
Public Schools Of Robeson County, NC
Enid Public Schools, OK
Hutto Independent School District, TX
Connections Ed. Ctr. of the Palm Beaches, FL
Denver Public Schools, CO
Charleston County School District, SC
Camden City School District, NJ
Alamance-Burlington School System, NC
TLC Public Charter School, CA
Cook County School District 130, IL
Newman-Crows Landing USD, CA
Uplift Education, Dallas, TX
Queens Technical High School, NY
Devils Lake School District, ND
Hernando County School District, FL
Albert Einstein Academy of Ohio
Ravenna City School District, OH

Friendship ISD, TX
Detroit Lakes Public Schools, MI
Hawaii State Department of Education
Los Angeles Unified School District, CA
Miamisburg City Schools, OH
Choice Technical Academy, MN
Brookvile Children Services, NY
Riverview Gardens School District, MO
Jefferson County Public Schools, KY
Prince Edward County, VA
Katy Independent School District, TX
Locust Grove Public Schools, OK
Geneva County Schools, AL
Marlboro County School District, SC
Hoopeston Independent School District, IL
Beauregard Parish School Board, LA
Vicksburg School District, MS
Carson City School District, NV
Picayune School District, MS
Vicksburg Warren School District, MS
Southgate Community Schools, MI
Roane County Schools., WV
Mason County Schools, WV
Travis Hill School New Orleans, LA

New York City Department of Education, NY
Santa Clara County Office of Education, CA
Pontotoc County Schools, MS
Bentonville Schools, AR
Atwater Elementary School District, CA
Burbank Unified School District, CA
Perris Union High School District, CA
Holy Family Trnity School, Peoria, IL
Empower, Carrubus County Schools, NC
Crete-Monee School District 201-U, IL
Jackson-Madison Co. School System, TN
South Bend Community School Corp, IN
Brandon House Performing Arts Ctr, AR
Aspira Charter Schools, PA
Hardin County Schools, KY
Killeen Independent School District, TX
Winn Parish School System, LA
Baybay City National High, Philippines
Pascagoula Gautier School District, MS
Fannin County School District, GA
Metro Educational Coop Service Unit, MN
Savannah Chatham County, GA
Salina Public Schools, KS
Lexington Urban League, KY
St. John the Baptist Parish Public Schools, LA

Join us on National Parental Involvement Day, Thursday November 16, 2023!

National Parental Involvement Day provides an opportunity for schools to increase family engagement through the use of soft power. Soft power is the ability to influence others through attraction and persuasion, rather than through coercion or force. In the context of education, soft power can be used by schools to increase family engagement by creating positive experiences and building relationships with families.

The Enchanted Path Back-to-School

A vibrant community of educators, parents, and students came together with a shared vision for educational excellence. As the new school year approached, excitement filled the air as they prepared for a journey like no other. Welcome to Project Appleseed's Back-to-School Resource for 2023, where we embark on a transformative adventure focused on connecting, engaging, and sustaining parents and families in their children's education.

Low Cost Computers & Internet. EveryoneOn!

Project Appleseed's partners at EveryoneOn helps unlock social and economic opportunity by connecting people in under-resourced communities to affordable internet service and computers, and providing digital skills trainings. Through our offer locator tool, people can learn about internet offers, device offers, and digital literacy training providers in their community.

Project Appleseed Engaging Families, Involving Parents

Access the Family Engagement Toolbox!

Order your school's own Family Engagement Toolbox today and take the first step towards building strong, lasting relationships with families. The Family Engagement Toolbox is a high-impact family engagement program designed for schools that want to mobilize family engagement to improve student outcomes. If desired, Project Appleseed also offers staff professional development thru the Traveling Workshop on Family Engagement and Family Engagement Toolbox Training to help you successfully implement our program. All staff should be welcoming, accessible, and available to minimize barriers to family participation.

The Traveling Workshop on Family Engagement

Our professional development is the first step in preparing schools to overcome barriers and reap the benefits of high-impact family engagement. Project Appleseed's professional development comes in two forms - our Traveling Workshop or Family Engagement Toolbox Training. Get inspired by the grandfather of the oldest parental involvement events in American public schools!

150 Days of Family Engagement Activities

A school activity is any activity that takes place within a school setting, whether it is related to academics or not. School activities can be organized by the school itself, by teachers, or by students. They can take place during the school day, after school, or on weekends. The purpose of school activities is to provide students with a well-rounded education and to help them develop skills and interests beyond the classroom. There are several reasons why a variety of high-impact family engagement activities are important for schools.

Family-School Communication

One area where schools seem to be falling short is in their efforts to communicate effectively to support student success. The surveys revealed that parents and families would like to see less reliance on technology such as apps and texting, and more honest face-to-face conversations about their children. Additionally, there is interest in more and better parent-teacher conferences, as these are the top engagement channels that parents and families report. However, it is possible that these opportunities are underutilized for real conversations between schools and families.

Deploy the Parent Engagement Pledge!

The Parent Engagement Pledge is a powerful tool for schools to improve student outcomes and create a more positive school culture. Research from the United States Department of Education, the Prospects Study, has shown that learning compacts like the Parent Engagement Pledge have the greatest impact on homework completion, school climate, student discipline, and reading at home. This is because the pledge is specifically designed to promote high-impact family engagement.

Parental Involvement Report Card

This is a confidential self-assessment to measure your parental involvement. Theses 30 questions are based on the Six Slices of Family Engagement that provide a comprehensive framework for effective family engagement. Answer each question and the results will be displayed and emailed to you for reference.

What is High-Impact Family Engagement?

High-impact family engagement in public schools is characterized by strong, meaningful and ongoing communication and collaboration between families, teachers and staff. This type of engaging families typically includes opportunities for families to have a voice in program decisions, participate in educational activities with their children and support their learning at home. Examples of high-impact family engagement activities include Parent-Teacher Home Visits, Community Cafés, and Build Days.

Join Project Appleseed! Become a Member!

Becoming a member of Project Appleseed is like joining a large club of like-minded individuals who are committed to supporting parental involvement in public schools. As a member, you'll have access to many opportunities to get involved and make a difference in your community. There is no social affiliation in contemporary America that offers more, and means more, than being a public school parent. At Project Appleseed, we celebrate being public school parents and all members are equal. Don't miss this opportunity to join a supportive and inclusive community – sign up for Project Appleseed membership today!

Benefits and Barriers to Family Engagement

There are also some barriers to effective family engagement that can make it difficult for schools and families to work together effectively. One such barrier is the perception gap between parents and teachers regarding students' academic achievement. While most parents believe their children are at or above grade level, only 44% of teachers believe that most of their students are ready for grade-level work. This discrepancy can make it difficult for parents and teachers to have productive and constructive conversations about students' progress and needs.

Parenting from Prison

According to a the Survey of Prison Inmates conducted by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, nearly 1.5 million children aged 17 or younger had a parent in state or federal prison in that year. This highlights the importance of parental involvement for children with incarcerated parents. Not only does it help maintain the parent-child relationship, but it can also have positive impacts on a child's academic and social-emotional development, as well as the parent's ability to successfully reintegrate into their community upon release.

Ending Gun Violence: Matthew McConaughey details how Greenlights Grant Initiative works

The Greenlights Grant Initiative is focused on raising awareness about school safety grants, equipping school districts with resources and tools for successful applications, and ensuring continuous and more equitable federal funding for school safety. Project Appleseed supports the efforts to protect children and youth from gun violence. We believe that creating a safe learning environment is crucial for students to reach their full potential.

Teacher Home Visits

Project Appleseed Elevates Parent & Family Engagement in Public Schools

Join Education's
Oldest Family Events!

Nov. 18
2027

Apr. 22-26
2024

April 21-25
2025

April 20-24
2026

Apr. 19-23
2027

*30th Anniversary Event

Teacher Home Visits

Project Appleseed Elevates Parent & Family Engagement in Public Schools

​Join Education's Oldest Family Events!

Nov. 18 2027

Apr. 22-26 2024

April 21-25 2025

April 20-24 2026

Apr. 19-23 2027

*30th Anniversary Event

Join Education's
Oldest Family Events!

Nov. 18
2027

Apr. 22-26
2024

April 21-25
2025

April 20-24
2026

Apr. 19-23
2027