Fostering Culturally Inclusive Family and School Collaboration Within the African American “Community”

Public schools are vested with the responsibility of meeting the needs of all students. However, the literature continues to evolve demonstrating patterns of disparities within predominately African American school communities and challenges with school and home partnerships. Students who have been identified with special education needs are at an even greater risk of failure because of ineffective services that are often the result of parents or caretakers who lack the capital, knowledge, and skills to advocate for them for many complex reasons. In order to meet the needs of this historically marginalized group within the field of special education, schools must adopt a posture of culturally responsive inclusivity and family collaboration within the African American school community. This collaboration entails (1) culturally responsive collaboration, (2) culturally responsive teaching, (3) strong family partnerships, (4) culturally responsive communication, and (5) family-centered school-based services for diverse families and culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students.