Who We Serve
Our work strengthens family, school, and community partnerships, early childhood care and education, promotes evaluation and accountability, and offers professional development to those who work directly with children, youth, and families. The audiences for HFRP's work include policymakers, practitioners, researchers, evaluators, philanthropists, teachers, school administrators, and concerned individuals.
Areas of Expertise
Our innovative team of researchers focuses on three components of complementary learning: early care and education, out-of-school time, and family and community involvement in education. We also believe that evaluation is essential to improve and maintain the quality of all programs. Therefore, a large part of our research includes piloting new approaches to evaluation and sharing field-wide innovative trends, strategies, and techniques through our quarterly journal, The Evaluation Exchange.
Flagship Products
In addition to publishing several high-quality research reports and tools for practice and evaluation each year, our audiences regularly look to us for the newest and best information found in each of our flagship products below.
- The Evaluation Exchange
The Evaluation Exchange is a quarterly periodical on new lessons and emerging strategies for evaluating programs and policies, particularly those focused on children, families, and communities. Since it was launched over 10 years ago, The Evaluation Exchange has become an internationally known and significant force in helping to shape evaluation knowledge and practice. - Family Involvement Network of Educators
The Family Involvement Network of Educators (FINE) is a bold effort to strengthen family and community engagement in education. FINE represents a national network of people interested in promoting strong partnerships between schools, families, and communities. Membership is free and includes access to the latest and best information about family involvement and regular updates of new resources that strengthen family, school, and community partnerships. - Out of School Time Research and Evaluation Database and Bibliography
We built and maintain the only database in the United States that provides accessible and timely information about the evaluation of OST programs and initiatives. The database includes narrative profiles of OST evaluations and is searchable on several key criteria. The bibliography is a comprehensive list of evaluations we have identified to date. These resources help our audiences learn about and improve OST evaluation and can support policy and program development. - Storybook Corner
The Storybook Corner, found on our website, offers resources to help educators, families, and those who work with families promote the awareness, discussion, and practice of family involvement in children's education in a wide range of settings. Launched in partnership with Reading Is Fundamental, Storybook Corner provides a list of storybooks with family involvement themes and tools for using the storybooks.
Complementary learning is at the heart of everything we do.
Educators, policymakers, and families increasingly agree: Schools cannot do it alone. Children need multiple opportunities to learn and grow—at home, in school, and in the community. Complementary learning is a comprehensive strategy for addressing all of these needs and ensuring success for all children and youth. Complementary learning is the idea that a systemic approach—which intentionally integrates both school and nonschool supports—can better ensure that all children have the skills they need to succeed. Read more about this concept in the complementary learning section of our website.