Ask Families in Plain Language What Work They Do to Connect the School
Instrument 2: Family Interview
Companion to The Child Should Never Experience the Organizational Chart · Updated 2026-09-30
Use this to learn how a family experiences the school as one team or as separate programs. Use plain language, in the family’s language. Do not ask families to diagnose organizational silos. Get consent first, tell the family how the answers will be used, and record them without the child’s or family’s name.
Who to Contact and What to Repeat
| Ask the family | Their answer, in their words |
|---|---|
| When you have a question about your child’s learning or support, do you know whom to contact? | |
| Have you ever had to tell the same story or provide the same information to different people at the school? | |
| Have different people at the school ever given you explanations or instructions that did not seem to fit together? |
How the Pieces Fit
| Ask the family | Their answer, in their words |
|---|---|
| When several people are helping your child, does someone explain how the pieces fit together? | |
| Do you know what the school is currently trying to improve for your child and how it will know whether the plan is helping? | |
| Does the school communicate with you in the language and form that works for your family? |
One Team or Separate Programs
| Ask the family | Their answer, in their words |
|---|---|
| Tell us about a time the school felt like one coordinated team. | |
| Tell us about a time it felt like separate programs or offices. | |
| What work do you currently do to keep the school’s different people or plans connected? | |
| What should the school take back from you? |
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