A Content Analysis of Education Practitioner Preparation Guidance to Support Culturally Responsive Family-Professional Partnerships

As the United States becomes increasingly diverse, the disparity in practitioner representation that mirrors the salient backgrounds of the children and families they are supporting continues. In special education, federal law mandates that families be involved as team members when they have a child with a disability, with a stronger focus on family-professional partnerships (FPPs) in the early childhood years. Given the mandate for and benefits of strong FPPs coupled with practitioners not reflecting the linguistic, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds of the families with whom they are ethically responsible for partnering, there is a need to provide guidance on culturally responsive practices to early childhood practitioners. In this qualitative study, we analyzed interdisciplinary standards and documents that support early education practitioner preparation and practice to partner with families. We used an inductive content analysis to identify focal categories including communication, understanding families’ backgrounds, and self-awareness. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.