Home Visit Partnerships (HVP) believes that building trusting relationships with families is essential for students’ social, emotional, and academic success. Recognizing the critical role of family relationships, HVP provides training and support to educators, helping them confront and understand their own biases and assumptions about families. This foundation enables educators to form meaningful partnerships, ensuring a more complete understanding of each family’s unique goals for their child and the child’s relationship with school and learning.
HVP, modeled after Parent Teacher Home Visits, centers on home visits, where educators connect with families in their own environments, fostering empathy, connection, and understanding. These visits allow educators to gain valuable insights from families, who share their hopes and dreams for their children. This partnership, built on trust and mutual respect, encourages families to support learning at home. Through regular communication and continual engagement, HVP strengthens the capacity of both educators and families to support student success, creating a collaborative and supportive educational ecosystem.
HVP has trained over 5,000 educators and facilitated over 30,000 home visits. These efforts have significantly improved student attendance, teacher–family relationships, and overall student engagement and sense of belonging. HVP offers a range of supports to help implement its approach, including consultation services, training programs for building effective family partnerships, grant writing support, and family workshops.
What Makes This Model Innovative?
Connection & Community
Anytime, Anywhere Learning
Whole-Child Focus
Related Models
The Parent Program
The Parent Program is a series of individual and group coaching experiences that addresses the needs of two generations—parents and their children—to strengthen their lives together.
The Parent Program
The Parent Program impacts two generations —parent and child—through a coaching approach. It is parent-centered, relationship-based wellness programming that connects families to concrete supports, increases social connections, and elevates self-efficacy. The program’s approach aims to increase parent agency and mitigate the impacts of toxic stress and adverse childhood experiences on parents and their children in the long term. This is done by meeting parents where they are, both on their well-being journey and where their capacity is to support their children’s health and education. The program is a partnership with parents to strengthen protective factors for children and families as a whole. These protective factors include parental resilience, social connections, concrete supports in times of need, knowledge of parenting and child development, and social and emotional competence of children. The Parent Program achieves this by assigning a dedicated Parent Wellness Coach to each family. The Parent Wellness Coach is trained to apply two coaching frameworks in individual and group settings.
The Primary School implements the Parent Program at its East Palo Alto and East Bay sites. East Palo Alto East Bay While the Parent Program can be run from birth until middle school, they are currently piloting iterations of the program from grade 3 onward. The Primary School is looking to support other schools and community settings interested in piloting the Parent Program.
Goals
The HVP model aims to create impactful educator–family connections that boost student success and family satisfaction. By fostering partnerships, the program enhances attendance, behavior, enthusiasm for learning, sense of belonging, and academic achievement for students.
Trusting Relationships
Establish strong bonds between educators and families, built on trust and collaboration.
Open Two-Way Communication
Foster dynamic, open channels for dialogue between educators and families, ensuring that everyone’s voices are heard.
Elevated Job Satisfaction
Boost educator job satisfaction and retention rates, leading to a happier, more committed teaching workforce.
Family Empowerment
Ensure that families effectively advocate for their children and understand their role as partners with teachers to better support learning and development at home.
Experience
The HVP program builds strong relationships between educators and families, focusing on continuous engagement and support throughout the school year. The program includes two home visits, scheduled in advance with the family’s consent, where teachers and families get to know each other, discuss the child’s interests and strengths, and set actionable goals. These visits must be voluntary for everyone involved and take place in the family’s home, wherever they call home. Additionally, students and families are selected randomly to ensure fairness and avoid targeting. Throughout the year, HVP maintains regular updates and open communication channels to keep families informed and involved.
The HVP journey begins with an initial home visit, typically in the fall, scheduled by teachers with families. Before the visit, teachers receive a script for the initial phone call and guiding questions to help facilitate the conversation during the visit. Sample Phone Script During this first meeting, the emphasis is on introductions and relationship-building, getting to know each other as people while the family shares insights about their child’s interests, strengths, and any concerns. Rather than focusing on academics, this meeting centers on connection and mutual understanding. Families often share deeply personal experiences, opening up about challenges and barriers they face, while children sometimes invite educators to see or hear something special or find common ground over shared interests.
Another key part of this visit is discussing the family’s hopes and dreams for their child—not just broad aspirations like “I want them to graduate” but also more immediate, achievable goals like knowing colors or numbers in kindergarten. Sample Discussion Topics Students are present and often hear their families express these hopes for the first time. As children get older, educators also ask them directly about their own hopes and dreams. The visit wraps up with teachers and families working together to establish communication preferences like email or phone for ongoing conversations throughout the year. It provides a strong start to the year by establishing an understanding and trust, and setting the stage for meaningful partnerships.
Consistent and ongoing communication between families and educators is an essential component of the HVP program to develop strong, impactful relationships throughout the school year. Communication should occur at least once every six weeks to ensure continued relationship building. As these relationships deepen, families often begin initiating contact, shifting communication from being teacher-led to being more balanced and collaborative.
In addition to communication, families are invited to participate in workshops where they explore their assumptions about school, learn the value of inviting teachers into their homes, and are given tools to extend their child’s learning at home through meaningful conversations about school. The overall approach fosters trust and meaningful partnerships that adapt to the unique needs of each family.
The second visit in the HVP journey focuses on deepening support, addressing challenges that have emerged since the initial visit, and building capacity for both families and educators. This visit is typically used to explore solutions to new concerns and, when necessary, introduce the next year’s teacher to ensure seamless continuity of support.
Teachers and families have the flexibility to determine whether a second visit is beneficial. For some families, where a strong relationship is already established, an additional visit may not provide significant value. In other cases—such as new students joining mid-year—teachers may use this time to do an initial visit. These follow-up visits may also differ based on grade level, such as offering FAFSA support for high-school students. This adaptability ensures that visits are meaningful rather than procedural, tailored to the specific needs of the family and the developmental stage of the student.
Supporting Structures
The HVP model integrates essential supporting structures to create a comprehensive approach that supports student success through personalized, relationship-centered approaches.
Educators leverage HVP’s scripts and guiding questions to focus visits on the hopes and dreams of students and their families.
The HVP home visit curriculum centers on building relationships through unstructured conversations. Educators use a provided guide to introduce themselves, express excitement about partnering with the family, and gather insights into the child’s interests, strengths, and needs. They ask about family hopes, concerns, and expectations for the school year while engaging the student in the discussion. Educators establish clear communication channels for ongoing updates and wrap up the visit with gratitude and a commitment to a strong partnership. Sample Phone Script Sample Discussion Topics
Home visits are voluntary and students are selected randomly to avoid targeting.
Home visits must always be voluntary, ensuring that participation is driven by mutual consent and respect. When it comes to conducting home visits year over year, different students should be selected each time. Students are tracked to reach more families. It’s important that students and families are never targeted for visits based solely on attendance or behavior issues. Given time and budget constraints, schools should use a random selection process to determine which families participate, ensuring fairness and preventing any group from feeling singled out or stigmatized.
When selecting families, educators should communicate that the goal is to reach as many as possible while acknowledging time limitations, promoting an inclusive and unbiased approach that offers all students the opportunity to benefit from personalized support.
Training is required to ensure that educators are equipped with the mindsets and guidance needed to conduct meaningful home visits.
To ensure the success of the HVP and to meet the social, emotional, and academic needs of students, comprehensive training for teachers and staff is essential. The HVP educator training focuses on preparing educators to build meaningful partnerships with families. They encourage educators to shift from traditional “engagement” to “partnership” for greater equity and understanding. It covers exploring barriers like culture, language, and time, and emphasizes understanding family circumstances rather than making assumptions.
The training also offers practical guidance for conducting home visits, emphasizing the importance of going in pairs, ensuring that visits are voluntary, and compensating teachers. It is required that two trained educators, typically teachers or other school staff, participate in each visit to provide comprehensive support and ensure the safety of both educators and families. During the visits, teachers focus on asking questions and listening, and learning about the family’s hopes and dreams for their children.
Home visits are arranged in advance to ensure respectful family–educator partnerships.
Home visits are scheduled when the family is available. It’s recommended that these visits take place early in the academic year to establish a strong foundation of communication and support between educators and families. Visits must be scheduled in advance to ensure that both parties are adequately prepared and available. Each visit should last at least 30 minutes, allowing sufficient time for meaningful interaction and addressing any concerns or questions that may arise. This structured approach helps maximize the effectiveness of the home visit program and fosters a collaborative environment focused on student success.
Community partnerships help provide additional resources when needed to ensure that there are comprehensive supports for families.
Community partnerships provide access to resources like mental and physical health support, internet devices, food, legal services, and adult education training, enhancing the overall educational experience. Educators are trained to avoid making assumptions about a family’s needs, and referrals for support are made only if a family specifically requests assistance. When a family requests specific resources, educators can either pass the request to the relevant school-based staff member or document it in the home visit log, ensuring that the family’s needs are addressed appropriately.
Home visits must take place at the student’s home.
Conducting home visits at the student’s home is required to ensure that educators can gain a comprehensive understanding of the child, build stronger relationships with families, and provide tailored support that addresses the specific needs of each individual family. The home environment often allows families to feel more at ease, allowing them to share deep, personal information that might be difficult to express in other settings. This approach fosters trust and collaboration, creating a supportive network that enhances the educational experience for both students and their families.
Educators must be compensated for their time during a visit.
Home visits should either be conducted during paid working hours or include additional pay to cover the extra time outside normal contract hours. Proper compensation acknowledges the value of the educators’ work, promotes participation, and ensures that the program does not place undue burdens on their personal time.
Effective communication is needed to build a strong foundation of understanding between educators and families.
Clear and reliable communication channels are crucial in the HVP model to keep the dialogue between educators and families active and effective. These channels allow educators to regularly update families on student progress, share insights from home visits, and address any concerns or questions quickly. At the same time, they ensure that families feel welcome and comfortable reaching out to teachers. Communication strategies are designed to be inclusive, accommodating language diversity among families through translation services or resources as needed. Additionally, if a family has multiple children, educators should coordinate to ensure that the family receives a single, comprehensive visit that addresses the needs and progress of all their children.
Stakeholder feedback is critical to ensure that the program is meeting the unique needs of students and their families.
Continuous improvement is facilitated through feedback strategies such as surveys or reflection meetings, attended by educators, funders, and, where possible, school and district leaders. These strategies are used to gather input from educators, families, and, when possible, students, enabling stakeholders to reflect on their experiences and identify areas for enhancement. End-of-year surveys, provided by HVP, for both educators and families are a required component of this model, providing comprehensive insights into the program’s impact and areas for growth. This feedback is used to refine practices, address evolving needs, and improve the overall effectiveness of the home visit program. By incorporating regular feedback, the program can continually evolve to better serve the community.
Educators leverage HVP’s scripts and guiding questions to focus visits on the hopes and dreams of students and their families.
The HVP home visit curriculum centers on building relationships through unstructured conversations. Educators use a provided guide to introduce themselves, express excitement about partnering with the family, and gather insights into the child’s interests, strengths, and needs. They ask about family hopes, concerns, and expectations for the school year while engaging the student in the discussion. Educators establish clear communication channels for ongoing updates and wrap up the visit with gratitude and a commitment to a strong partnership. Sample Phone Script Sample Discussion Topics
Home visits are voluntary and students are selected randomly to avoid targeting.
Home visits must always be voluntary, ensuring that participation is driven by mutual consent and respect. When it comes to conducting home visits year over year, different students should be selected each time. Students are tracked to reach more families. It’s important that students and families are never targeted for visits based solely on attendance or behavior issues. Given time and budget constraints, schools should use a random selection process to determine which families participate, ensuring fairness and preventing any group from feeling singled out or stigmatized.
When selecting families, educators should communicate that the goal is to reach as many as possible while acknowledging time limitations, promoting an inclusive and unbiased approach that offers all students the opportunity to benefit from personalized support.
Training is required to ensure that educators are equipped with the mindsets and guidance needed to conduct meaningful home visits.
To ensure the success of the HVP and to meet the social, emotional, and academic needs of students, comprehensive training for teachers and staff is essential. The HVP educator training focuses on preparing educators to build meaningful partnerships with families. They encourage educators to shift from traditional “engagement” to “partnership” for greater equity and understanding. It covers exploring barriers like culture, language, and time, and emphasizes understanding family circumstances rather than making assumptions.
The training also offers practical guidance for conducting home visits, emphasizing the importance of going in pairs, ensuring that visits are voluntary, and compensating teachers. It is required that two trained educators, typically teachers or other school staff, participate in each visit to provide comprehensive support and ensure the safety of both educators and families. During the visits, teachers focus on asking questions and listening, and learning about the family’s hopes and dreams for their children.
Home visits are arranged in advance to ensure respectful family–educator partnerships.
Home visits are scheduled when the family is available. It’s recommended that these visits take place early in the academic year to establish a strong foundation of communication and support between educators and families. Visits must be scheduled in advance to ensure that both parties are adequately prepared and available. Each visit should last at least 30 minutes, allowing sufficient time for meaningful interaction and addressing any concerns or questions that may arise. This structured approach helps maximize the effectiveness of the home visit program and fosters a collaborative environment focused on student success.
Community partnerships help provide additional resources when needed to ensure that there are comprehensive supports for families.
Community partnerships provide access to resources like mental and physical health support, internet devices, food, legal services, and adult education training, enhancing the overall educational experience. Educators are trained to avoid making assumptions about a family’s needs, and referrals for support are made only if a family specifically requests assistance. When a family requests specific resources, educators can either pass the request to the relevant school-based staff member or document it in the home visit log, ensuring that the family’s needs are addressed appropriately.
Home visits must take place at the student’s home.
Conducting home visits at the student’s home is required to ensure that educators can gain a comprehensive understanding of the child, build stronger relationships with families, and provide tailored support that addresses the specific needs of each individual family. The home environment often allows families to feel more at ease, allowing them to share deep, personal information that might be difficult to express in other settings. This approach fosters trust and collaboration, creating a supportive network that enhances the educational experience for both students and their families.
Educators must be compensated for their time during a visit.
Home visits should either be conducted during paid working hours or include additional pay to cover the extra time outside normal contract hours. Proper compensation acknowledges the value of the educators’ work, promotes participation, and ensures that the program does not place undue burdens on their personal time.
Effective communication is needed to build a strong foundation of understanding between educators and families.
Clear and reliable communication channels are crucial in the HVP model to keep the dialogue between educators and families active and effective. These channels allow educators to regularly update families on student progress, share insights from home visits, and address any concerns or questions quickly. At the same time, they ensure that families feel welcome and comfortable reaching out to teachers. Communication strategies are designed to be inclusive, accommodating language diversity among families through translation services or resources as needed. Additionally, if a family has multiple children, educators should coordinate to ensure that the family receives a single, comprehensive visit that addresses the needs and progress of all their children.
Stakeholder feedback is critical to ensure that the program is meeting the unique needs of students and their families.
Continuous improvement is facilitated through feedback strategies such as surveys or reflection meetings, attended by educators, funders, and, where possible, school and district leaders. These strategies are used to gather input from educators, families, and, when possible, students, enabling stakeholders to reflect on their experiences and identify areas for enhancement. End-of-year surveys, provided by HVP, for both educators and families are a required component of this model, providing comprehensive insights into the program’s impact and areas for growth. This feedback is used to refine practices, address evolving needs, and improve the overall effectiveness of the home visit program. By incorporating regular feedback, the program can continually evolve to better serve the community.
Supports Offered
Home Visit Partnerships offers the following supports to help you implement its approach.
Consultation Services
Cost Associated
HVP offers consultation services with experienced educators to help schools and districts forge impactful educator–family partnerships.
Consultation rates start at $250 per hour, with discounted packages available.
Training Programs
Cost Associated
HVP provides training for educators on building effective partnerships with families, including techniques for home visits and enhancing family collaboration.
Training programs are available, starting at $6,300 plus travel costs.
Grant Writing Support
Cost Associated
HVP assists schools and districts in identifying and securing funding opportunities for implementing home visit programs.
Family Workshops
Cost Associated
HVP conducts workshops designed to equip families with the language, skills, and knowledge needed to support their children’s education effectively.
Workshops start at $500 per hour plus travel expenses.
Reach
Demonstration Sites
The following sites are examples of learning communities that have successfully implemented the model.
Steamboat Springs School District
Steamboat Springs, CO
PK-12
Traditional Public
Godsman Elementary
Denver, CO
PK-5
Traditional Public
East Fort Worth Montessori Academy
Fort Worth, TX
PK-5
Charter
Impact
The HVP program was evaluated through a randomized controlled trial (RCT) conducted by external researchers to assess its impact on students, parents, and teachers. The study provided significant insights, including findings from additional 2023–2024 feedback. 2021 Impact Analysis Report 2023–2024 HVP Summary Report
As a result of HVP, student attendance, academic success, sense of belonging, and engagement increased. HVP Great Teachers Making the Connection
- Participation in the HVP program significantly reduced early elementary students’ chronic absenteeism by 2.8 percentage points (2021 Impact Analysis Report).
- 85% of teachers observed improved academic performance for students participating in home visits (2023–2024 HVP Summary Report).
- Following home visits, 95% of students reported feeling more comfortable talking with their teacher and believing that their teacher genuinely cares about them (2021 Impact Analysis Report).
“Most of the students that I visited felt a special connection to me and my partner teacher after our visit with them, and it made them want to try more in class.” —Teacher, Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD
As a result of HVP, educators and staff reported deeper connections with students and their families. HVP Stories of Impact HVP Educator Stories
- Teachers in the treatment group had an overall average rating 0.17 points higher than control teachers in terms of their connection with students, a statistically significant difference (2021 Impact Analysis Report).
- 98% of teachers in the treatment group reported that home visits improved their communication with students’ families (2021 Impact Analysis Report).
- 100% of teachers agreed or strongly agreed that home visits increased their empathy for their students and their families (2023–2024 HVP Summary Report).
“I became more open and understanding to why a student may be having a bad day. I looked beyond the initial behavior to see the underlying reasons.” —Teacher, Dallas ISD
As a result of HVP, families reported an improved experience and higher levels of trust.
- 97% of parent survey respondents agreed or strongly agreed that home visits were a positive experience for themselves and their child (2021 Impact Analysis Report).
- Nearly 100% of parents agreed or strongly agreed that they were happy the teacher visited their home, as it enhanced their sense of partnership in their child’s learning (2023–2024 HVP Summary Report).
- 85% of parents felt more comfortable communicating with teachers and had an increased level of trust in the teacher following home visits (2021 Impact Analysis Report).
“My child understood that the school is interested in his well-being. The friendly conversation helped us feel welcomed into the community. Their time investment in their students was commendable.” —Parent
“[Parents] expressed how much it meant to them to meet with me and be able to trust their child is safe and well cared for at school when they are not around.” —Teacher, Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD