Written by Amanda Ensor

When it comes to improving student outcomes, one truth stood tall and proud at the 2025 National Assembly for Family Engagement (NAFSCE) in New Orleans:
Family engagement is our superpower.

Educators, families, administrators, policymakers, researchers, and organizations from across the country came together to celebrate and strengthen the power of connection — a shared belief that families, schools, and communities must work together to help our children succeed and soar.

A celebration of connection and community

The streets of New Orleans pulsed with music and meaning as conference attendees paraded through the city alongside a local high school marching band, proudly chanting our collective battle cry. The rhythm of the drums echoed our relentless drumbeat of hope and connection, reminding us that families, schools, and communities must unite to ensure the success of all students.

Wearing our bright blue capes, the TalkingPoints team joined the parade, a vivid reminder of our mission to turn messages into momentum. Our capes symbolized the power of communication to break down barriers, build understanding, and strengthen relationships between schools and families.

Because for us, family engagement isn’t just an idea: it’s a superpower.

Why family engagement is the key to student success

The challenges facing classrooms today, from mental health struggles to chronic absenteeism, staff turnover, and declining enrollment, are bigger than any one system or family can solve alone. But when families and schools unite, something extraordinary happens.

Family engagement is the bridge that connects home and school, helping communities build the positive learning cultures students need to thrive. When effectively leveraged, family engagement can address these systemic issues and transform years of research into real results, improving student outcomes in every classroom.

At the school level, engagement directly strengthens relationships and supports student success. At the district level, systemwide engagement builds a thriving learning culture around the classroom — one that uplifts the entire community.

The power of digital family engagement

While in-person engagement remains essential, digital family engagement has become a pivotal part of a modern, inclusive strategy.

At TalkingPoints, we help schools and districts bring family engagement to life through a 4-step approach: Reach. Communicate. Engage. Improve.

Our digital platform expands the power of connection, ensuring that every family, regardless of language, background, or circumstance, can be included in the conversation. Whether it’s a teacher sending a “Quick Kudos” for something they noticed in class that day or staying connected through our school-year–aligned “Family Check-Ins,” these digital touchpoints extend in-person connections and, most importantly, keep families engaged in their child’s classroom experiences. Digital engagement doesn’t replace in-person connection—it amplifies it.

As a nonprofit organization, TalkingPoints is uniquely positioned to bring this model to life. Our impact-driven mission and equitable funding model ensure that schools and districts can sustainably build engagement capacity at scale — focusing on outcomes, not profit.

Learn more about the TalkingPoints solution – Watch this 90 second video. 

Turning communication into connection: TalkingPoints’ impact

The 2025 National Assembly for Family Engagement was a celebration — but also a call to action. Together, we built community, shared best practices, and renewed our commitment to a future where every family is part of their child’s educational story.

We didn’t just talk about family engagement; we demonstrated it. We offered attendees a concrete path to action: a way to transform everyday communication into lasting community impact.

Our blue capes were more than symbolic; they represented our belief that every message exchanged between schools and families can build understanding, inspire action, and improve outcomes. Because when communication becomes connection, and connection becomes collaboration, that’s when true momentum begins.

The National Assembly reminded us that hope marches on — powered by educators, families, and organizations working together for every child’s success.

As a nonprofit with an impact-first mission, TalkingPoints is proud to help turn that hope into action and every message into momentum.

Because when we connect schools and families, we unlock the superpower that changes everything.

Ready to transform your family engagement strategy? Schedule a demo today.

Celebrating 10 years of partnership and impact

For a decade, TalkingPoints has supported students, families, and educators through the power of effective family-school partnerships. We connect 9 million+ educators, students, and family members annually and have facilitated more than one billion conversations—building trust, fostering relationships, and fueling student success. Named by Common Sense Education as “the best overall family communication platform for teachers and schools,” TalkingPoints drives measurable gains in attendance and academic achievement, backed by rigorous, causal research.

TalkingPoints is the only nonprofit platform with the impact focus and funding model to turn engagement strategies into lasting results—helping systems improve and every student succeed.

Join us in building a future where every child has the support they need to thrive.