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Family Engagement News

National PTA Names Healthy Minds Fellows

February 13, 2026

Five PTA leaders have been selected as the association’s 2026 Healthy Minds Fellows and will receive a $1,500 stipend for their participation, thanks to support from the New York Life Foundation.

The 2026 Healthy Minds Fellows are:

Nisheena Clemons (Nickajack Elementary PTA, Smyrna, Ga.)
Kimberly McDonough (Mulrennan Middle School PTSA, Valrico, Fla.)
Laura Pugh (West Hills PTA, Bremerton, Wash.)
Katy Leach (Tuskawilla Middle School PTSA/Lake Howell PTSA, Winter Springs, Fla.)
Tyler Porter (Lynn Wood Elementary PTA, Broken Arrow, Okla.)

As fellows, these PTA leaders will identify a local problem of practice with the goal of strengthening their leadership around mental health and National PTA’s Healthy Minds program; develop and implement an action plan around their problem of practice; and facilitate train-the-trainer workshops to educate other PTA leaders about Healthy Minds.

AASA and National PTA Honor Superintendent with Second Annual “Excellence in Family Engagement Award”

Feb. 12, 2026

AASA and National PTA Honor Nashville Superintendent with Excellence in Family Engagement Award | AASA

AASA, The School Superintendents Association and National PTA are pleased to celebrate excellence in family engagement by honoring a leader dedicated to family-school partnerships.

Dr. Adrienne Battle, superintendent of Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, has been selected among district leaders across the country to receive the second annual Excellence in Family Engagement Award in addition to $5,000 to support family engagement initiatives. Candidates for the award were judged on their commitment to equity, transformative engagement, capacity-building and results.

Dr. Battle has demonstrated exceptional leadership in advancing family engagement as a cornerstone of student success. She has helped create lasting connections between schools, families and the communities they serve.

Introducing Family Engagement Solutions!

Sept. 26, 2024

National PTA and the Center for Research and Reform in Education (CRRE) at Johns Hopkins University have teamed up to launch Family Engagement Solutions, a free online tool to help district and school leaders, educators and advocates find evidence-based programs that strengthen family-school partnerships and improve student outcomes.

Learn More

Four Principles of Transformative Family Engagement

Parents know that they play an important role in their child’s success. But traditional family engagement practices don’t always meet the needs of each and every family, nor treat them as equal partners in ensuring their child’s success. Family-School partnerships often focus primarily on academic success, but whole child development is also an essential part of the conversation.

The solution? Transformative Family Engagement.

Transformative family engagement is a shared effort of families, schools and community leaders to advance programs, practices and policies that empower families to make their child’s potential a reality.

The Four 'I's of transformative family engagement outline how your PTA can become more inclusive, individualized, integrated and impactful in its approach to family engagement.