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The Harvard Family Research Project separated from the Harvard Graduate School of Education to become the Global Family Research Project as of January 1, 2017. It is no longer affiliated with Harvard University.

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The Aprender en Familia (Family  Learning) Program in Chile

In Chile, a country with approximately 3.5 million students in more than 12,000 schools, the Aprender en Familia (Family Learning) Program understands the importance of family engagement in education. Indeed, the program credits families with being responsible for about 40% to 60% of their children’s academic results. Funded by Fundación CAP—an organization that supports concrete and innovative education projects—Aprender en Familia seeks to enhance the effect of families on the comprehensive development and academic outcomes of students.

One cycle of the Aprender en Familia Program runs for three years, with efforts in three categories: school and family partnerships, parent education, and net creation (the strengthening of bonds between children, families, and schools). Among the program’s main areas of focus are:

  • Teacher training around family engagement;
  • Parent workshops on topics that include self-esteem, reading support, learning habits, and social skills; and
  • Program-wide events (i.e., arts parties and sports-related activities similar to the Olympics).

With Aprender en Familia’s clear strategy for establishing goals, setting procedures, and developing action plans, the program has reached 28,000 students, 18,500 families, and 1,800 teachers in 60 Chilean schools. Evidence of the program’s effectiveness is already manifesting. So far, outcomes include:

  • An increase in parents’ satisfaction with the school, parents’ participation, and enhancement of internal networks;
  • A statistically significant increase in the progress of parent involvement, reading support, and establishment of rules and boundaries for students in elementary and secondary schools;
  • An increase in participation in parent education workshops; and
  • An increase in teachers’ appreciation of parent involvement.

© 2016 Presidents and Fellows of Harvard College
Published by Harvard Family Research Project