At the Heart of Family Learning: Putting Families at the Forefront of Education Systems
When Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood premiered on our television screens nearly sixty years ago, the show was something new; it focused on a neighborhood as a place to both live and learn. Viewers could learn sign language from Mayor Stewart, discover new animals with Mrs. McFeely, or try out new exercises with Marilyn Barnett, the local physical education teacher.
In many ways, the neighborhood that Mister Rogers introduced us to was an early example of a learning ecosystem: an interconnected web of relationships, institutions, and resources that extends beyond the classroom, grounding education within the community and creating opportunities to support lifelong curiosity, growth, and discovery.
There are a number of organizations that are working to build learning ecosystems that expand what’s possible within and across education systems and communities. Over the past several years, organizations like the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning, Education Reimagined, and Jacobs Foundation have published white papers that examine existing learning ecosystem efforts both across the country and around the globe to discover a replicable framework other communities can follow.
Each of these frameworks call for redesigning how and where learning occurs for children. While this work is powerful and important, it does not go far enough. Adults also deserve opportunities to be supported in their roles as workers, learners, and community members so that they can thrive and contribute meaningfully to the places they call home.
To accomplish this important goal, a learning ecosystem must extend beyond the child or youth to encompass the parents and caregivers who are a child’s first and most important teacher. Some of these adults struggle with literacy or numeracy themselves. Others want to access credentialing, workforce training, or postsecondary education. Whatever a parent’s goal, we know that their educational and workforce success is inextricably tied to their child’s academic outcomes. Put simply, helping parents succeed helps children succeed. That’s why NCFL believes that for a learning ecosystem to truly make a difference, it must create opportunities for families to learn together and for children and parents to serve as catalysts for transformation within their communities. Designing supports for multigenerational learning ensures all learners–from birth through adulthood–see the system working for them, rather than them working for the system.
NCFL is working with communities across the country to (re)design learning systems in ways that support the whole family through both our Family Learning Community™ (FLC) efforts. And powerful examples of success are already becoming evident. One such example can be found in rural Butler County in Kentucky This FLC is led by Butler County Schools Superintendent Robert Tuck.
A key priority for the work of the FLC is establishing a transparent, family-centered local accountability model in which parents and community members help shape shared goals and measures of success. Parents and community leaders have convened to discuss local accountability measures that are meaningful to the health and well-being of youth and families across the community. In addition, the district’s Portrait of a Learner (PoL) is exploring links between the learning that happens during the school day and workforce credentialing, employment opportunities, and career development resources. Butler County’s approach is a leading example of ways to authentically engage parents and the community in a critical process for overall district and school improvement.
Recently, both Superintendent Tuck and I were invited to join New America’s National Commission on Learning Ecosystems. The commission brings together a network of 20 national leaders and 12 regional leaders to elevate the most sustainable, impactful, and effective approaches to education and community transformation in both rural and urban areas.
As commissioners, we’ll spend the next two years exploring how place-based models like NCFL’s Family Learning Community approach are working to improve education and learning outcomes so that youth and families thrive. Butler County’s FLC will serve as an exemplar of NCFL’s learning ecosystem effort, illuminating how education systems can be improved when community partners work in collaboration while intentionally centering the voices of needs of families.
Last month I had the chance to highlight the importance of families to this work as part of a dynamic panel at the Institute for Education Leadership (IEL) conference in San Diego. The panel, facilitated by Dr. Bernadine Futrell, brought together education leaders serving on the IEL National Action Commission. The Commission is charged with exploring how hyperlocal solutions can harness community power to improve schools. During the panel, I was privileged to share the stage with fellow commissioners Dr. Pedro Noguera, Dr. Karen Mapp, and Dr. Robert Peters. One key takeaway: that education systems can better serve families and communities when we treat Pre-K-12 and adult learning as interconnected systems where collaboration and local leadership accelerate progress. We must be preparing local leaders to build new pathways and systems designed to support and engage every child, family, and community member for the betterment of all. Resilient leaders and organizations are needed now more than ever to withstand the pressures and variables that are testing the limits of our learning ecosystems.
Just as Mister Rogers invited us all to discover the strengths and talents of his neighborhood, NCFL Family Learning Communities begin with an invitation to fellowship. At the heart of this invitation is the opportunity to learn with and from one another, in non-traditional spaces and across lines of difference. By listening deeply to youth, families, educators, and local partners, communities can reclaim what matters most in education and build thriving systems that reflect local needs and aspirations.
Today, we face a collective challenge to slow down, gather around the table, and rekindle the spirit of collaboration. We invite you to join us as we create Family Learning Communities that incorporate multigenerational learning while building belonging and putting family voice and perspectives at the forefront.
Reach out to info@familieslearning.org to discover how you can be part of this vital work. Or join us at the 2026 Families Learning Conference, happening November 8-11 in San Antonio, Texas, to learn from the success of our 14 current FLCs across the country.