Teacher Training Program Linked to Stronger Family Engagement in NYC Pre-K Study
Professional development that teaches early-childhood educators how to build relationships with parents may strengthen trust and inclusion between families and schools, according to research from NYU Langone Health.
The study examined ParentCorps, a training program used by educators in New York City universal prekindergarten classrooms. Parents whose children attended participating programs reported stronger family engagement, including greater trust in schools and a greater sense of inclusion, the researchers said.
Published in Frontiers in Education, the research was designed to measure the effect of educator professional development on family engagement from parents’ perspectives. The researchers described it as the first study to evaluate that connection using parent-reported outcomes.
ParentCorps training asks educators to consider how their personal experiences, values and identities affect interactions with children, families and colleagues. Participants also practice skills including active listening, empathy, perspective-taking and handling difficult conversations with families.
The findings point to a potential gap in teacher preparation. NYU Langone Health said about half of U.S. teacher-training programs provide formal instruction on engaging students’ families, despite evidence linking school-home relationships to student well-being and academic outcomes.
ParentCorps had reached more than 28,000 children across New York City, Detroit, Washington, D.C., and other locations as of the 2025-26 school year, according to the organization. Researchers said they plan to pursue additional partnerships with school districts.