Roadblocks to Effective District, Family, and Community Collaboration: A Phenomenology Study of Potential Challenges and Solutions

School districts have always had a vested interest in engaging with families and their local communities, yet many districts struggle to authentically engage. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, new challenges to family engagement have exacerbated preexisting challenges. To identify strategies that school districts can use to overcome these roadblocks that hinder family and community collaboration, we interviewed K-12 education experts and partners and qualitatively coded their responses. Findings from 47 respondents indicated districts can best foster collaboration through focusing on four key areas: strengthening collaborative decision-making, building trust, demonstrating a commitment to collaboration, and building capacity and infrastructure.