Coaction Collective

08/28/2026

Dear Families,

You’re doing just fine. Happy New (School) Year.

Love,
Coco

Back-to-school season asks a lot of children, and a lot of the grown-ups who love them. Between new routines, new teachers, new apps, new schedules, and the pressure to get everything right, families deserve a little grace, too. Here’s a reminder that family engagement isn’t about perfect parent...

05/28/2026

For the men of Coco, Mike & Justin, South Dakota hit different this time. Closing a leadership cohort, taking in the land, sitting with what these monuments mean — and what they don’t say. The juxtaposition of Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse monuments…. That’s the one that stayed with us. Still being carved. Still not finished. Kind of like all of us.

05/07/2026

What happens to the work when your most knowledgeable person walks out the door?

That’s the question that opened yesterday’s session with Statewide Family Engagement Center staff from across the country.From auditing knowledge landscapes to understanding the difference between explicit, tacit, and relational knowledge, participants left with real clarity and a concrete 30-day action step. Because if knowledge isn’t transferable, it isn’t sustainable.

A huge thank you to Sally Wade for the invitation and to the for generously hosting us!

03/20/2026

We’re thrilled to be at the Family & Community Engagement Summit today. Dr. Michael Andrews and Justin Stephens are leading a session that asks: Who are the families we’re missing and why? They challenge the idea that engagement only “counts” when it’s visible to schools.

We’re rateful to be part of the conversation and the work to build more inclusive, authentic family-school partnerships.

03/20/2026

We’re thrilled to be at the Family & Community Engagement Summit today. Dr. Michael Andrews and Justin Stephens are leading a session that asks: Who are the families we’re missing and why? They challenge the idea that engagement only “counts” when it’s visible to schools.

We’re rateful to be part of the conversation and the work to build more inclusive, authentic family-school partnerships.

03/13/2026

We had a fantastic time at SXSW EDU in Austin. This past week, we’ve engaged in powerful conversations, connected with educators and leaders from across the country, and explored new ideas about the future of learning. From keynote talks and workshops to the Expo floor, SXSW EDU continues to be a space where people from across the education landscape come together to exchange ideas and spark new possibilities for students and communities.

We leave energized by the people we met and the ideas we’ll carry forward into our work with schools, families, and organizations. Austin, it’s been real. Onward.

03/12/2026

Another powerful day at SXSW EDU.

Today included an important moment for our team as Michael Andrews, Ed.D presented on the Photovoice of Black Fathers, sharing research that amplifies how Black fathers engage in their children’s educational journeys.

The images and stories challenge narrow narratives and show the depth, care, and leadership Black fathers bring to family-school partnerships. At a conference built around new ideas and bold conversations about education, this work reminds us that sometimes the most transformative insights come from centering voices that have always been there but haven’t always been seen.

We also had the chance to connect with brilliant leaders across the field, including Chastity Lord, whose mentor session at the conference offered powerful perspective on organizational strategy and leadership. Her insights sparked several ideas we’re excited to keep exploring as we continue building and growing Coaction Collective.

Grateful to be part of the larger dialogue about what meaningful family engagement really looks like.

03/11/2026

See you in Austin! Table 408!

03/11/2026

The Coaction Collective team is in Austin this week for ! Over the past few days, we’ve been diving into conversations with educators, innovators, policymakers, and community leaders from across the country who are all working to shape the future of learning.

SXSW EDU brings together some of the brightest minds in education to explore bold ideas and tackle the real challenges facing our schools and communities. We’re here to listen, learn, connect, and share what we’re seeing on the ground when it comes to authentic family and community engagement.

If you’re at SXSW EDU this week, come find us at the Expo and say hello. Let’s build together.

02/25/2026

As parent-teacher conferences get underway, what we choose to focus on matters. These tips highlight how educators can center the conversation on strengths, shared goals, and meaningful partnership, creating space for families’ insights and prioritizing what will best support each student moving forward.