Plan engagement by defining objectives, aligned questions, engagement type, and piloted materials¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

Phase 1 prescribes four steps: 'Define engagement objectives', develop questions 'aligned with the purpose of community engagement sessions, answerable, actionable, and specific', determine the engagement type (e.g., interviews, focus groups, surveys, town halls, or a mix), and 'Create accessible, culturally responsive materials; pilot materials with a small group; and adjust as needed.' It also advises recruiting the right people and identifying trusted individuals or organizations to help recruit.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Engagement questions must be answerable, actionable, and specific and aligned with session purpose

Constraints¶

Target Learners¶

• State and local education agency staff planning community engagement

Target Learning Goals¶

• Design targeted, effective, and respectful engagement activities

Affordances¶

• Three Phase Community Engagement Process

Related Strategies¶

• Facilitate sessions with a welcoming environment, probing questions, and structured pauses
• Codebook development, theme generation, and community validation of findings
• Dissemination planning and accurate, accessible data visualization
• Record sessions with consent, data-protection communication, disclosure norms, and detailed notetaking
• Notetaking practices: verbatim statements, contextual notes, and 24-hour review
• Conduct a family engagement needs assessment as the first step in planning

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Collecting and Making Sense of Community Engagement Data. (2025). Regional Educational Laboratory Northwest. https://ies.ed.gov/rel-central/2025/01/dissemination-plan-template