Families In Schools (FIS) recognizes the value of strong family-school partnerships in supporting student achievement. Consequently, we provide programs and professional development that fosters authentic parent engagement by building the skills, knowledge and confidence of both parents and staff on how to work together. FIS targets low-income and underserved communities recognizing that access to quality education continues to be the gateway out of poverty and the road to the American dream. Recent research from Chicago shows that “When schools use effective family engagement practices, students are 10 times more likely to improve their math performance and 4 times more likely to improve their reading performance.” – Byrk, Sebring, Allensworth, Luppescu,& Easton, 2012