Piloting REACH (Respect, Equity, Advocacy, Commitment, and Honest Communication): An Intervention to Enable Educators to Partner with Families

Strong partnerships between families and professionals are crucial for the long-term success of students with and without disabilities. Unfortunately, professionals report limited training about ways to partner with families. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the acceptability of REACH (Respect, Equity, Advocacy, Commitment, and Honest Communication), a professional development series for education professionals to acquire knowledge and skills in facilitating and maintaining partnerships with families. A total of 18 participants completed REACH. Data were collected through a demographic questionnaire and formative and summative evaluations. Overall, participants reported that REACH was beneficial for forming partnerships with families. Implications for research and practice are discussed.