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

New Ideas!

100 Weekly Family Engagement Activities!

Begin the year right!

Cultivate a culture of school improvement in your schools with weekly family activities throughout the academic year.

Our expanded curated collection includes engaging events and strategies for everyday of the year!

Learn more!

Step Up Family Engagement with Professional Development

2-hr Virtual Toolbox Training

Teacher Home Visit Training

One-Day Traveling Workshop

Take the first step towards building strong, lasting relationships with all families!

Learn more!

Empower Your School with the Family Engagement Toolbox!

Project Appleseed Engages Parents and Families in America's Public Schools

Setting the Standard for Family Engagement: A Glimpse of Our Achieving Schools! Come Along!

Logansport Community School Corp., IN
Guttenberg Sch. Dist., Anna L. Klein Sch. NJ
Renaissance Charter School, FL
Rowan-Salisbury Schools, IN
Roseville Joint Union High Sch. Dist., CA
Creative Minds International PCS, Wash. DC
Kern County Supt. of Sch., Bakersfield, CA
Chesterfield County Public Schools, VA
Faribault Lutheran School, MN
St. Johns County School District, FL
Laramie County School District 1, WY
Albany Leadership Charter Sch. for Girls, NY
Boonville Elem. Sch., Yadkin Co.Schols., NC
Irvington Community Schools, IN
Bergen County Technical High School, NJ
Bertie Early College High School, NC
Greasewood Springs Comm. Sch., Gando, AZ
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
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
Hernando County School District, FL
Albert Einstein Academy of Ohio
Ravenna City School District, OH
Friendship ISD, TX
Devils Lake School District, ND
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, Caburrus 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

Seeds to Bloom: Planting the Seeds of School Improvement

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.

How to Start A Family Engagement Campaign

Together for Success: Launch Your 2024-25 Family Engagement Campaign!

Discover how the 'Get Out the Pledge' initiative, inspired by Project Appleseed's Family Engagement tools, fosters connections between schools and families. With the Parent Engagement Pledge as its cornerstone, this campaign strives to strengthen partnerships by promoting active engagement and sustained collaboration.

Seeds of Change: The Appleseed Origin Story

Once upon a time, in the inner-ring suburban community of University City in St. Louis, there lived a passionate and determined African-American father named Kevin Walker. It was the early 1990s, and Kevin, a father of four who worked from home full-time, keenly observed the pressing need for active family involvement in education. He saw the gap between schools and communities and felt a burning desire to bridge it. Little did he know that this journey would transform him into a legend akin to Johnny Appleseed.

Project Appleseed Engaging Families, Involving Parents

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!

Title I ESSA Family Engagement

Superintendent Sara Johnson sat at her desk, poring over the latest data on student achievement. She couldn't help but notice a trend - the schools with higher levels of parent engagement tended to have higher student achievement as well. She knew that increasing parent engagement was critical, especially in Title I schools where families may face additional challenges.

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!

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.

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.

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.

Step Up Family Engagement with Professional Development

Project Appleseed Engages Parents and Families in America's Public Schools

Join Education's
Oldest Family Events!

Nov. 18
2027

April 21-25
2025

April 20-24
2026

Apr. 19-23
2027

*30th Anniversary Event

Step Up Family Engagement with Professional Development

Project Appleseed Engages Parents and Families in America's Public Schools

​Join Education's Oldest Family Events!

Nov. 18 2027

April 21-25 2025

April 20-24 2026

Apr. 19-23 2027

*30th Anniversary Event

Join Education's
Oldest Family Events!

Nov. 18
2027

April 21-25
2025

April 20-24
2026

Apr. 19-23
2027