54 Kentucky schools and early care centers were recognized yesterday in the Capitol for earning the family friendly schools certification.

The process to get this certification comes from a self-assessment done by a group of teachers, families and administrators to evaluate how well their school does when it comes to family engagement.

We have more in tonight's Education Matters report.

We were the first school in our district to be recognized as a family friendly school.

This is our fourth year receiving that.

It's a credit to our community.

It's our kids, our teachers, our family resource center.

You know, all the connections and relationships that we have in Broward County and Moorhead to with our not just our families, but our local businesses and leaders in our community to do things that are in the best interest of our students.

Every family deserves to have that time to read and to learn.

Together and to feel included in their child's.

Education.

A child's zip code should never determine their success or their trajectory.

As a first generation college kid myself.

I can say personally that family engagement had a massive impact on my life.

I can truly say that I would not be here today if my school and my family and my community had not rallied around me to provide the support that I needed when I needed it.

Understanding every family in my experience in over 30 years in this work is every family wants good for their children and it is our responsibility to partner with them.

Every one of them.

Families are the bedrock of strong communities.

They are first classrooms, the places where values like hard work, respect and compassion take root.

There were dreams are nurtured and where resilience is born.

Now more than ever, we have to help every single Kentucky child succeed because we are building our new Kentucky home, one where we have opportunities for every single Kentucky child to pursue their dreams no matter how big they dream.

This commitment to family engagement all transcends party lines, income levels and cultural backgrounds is a unifying force that brings us together in a shared purpose.

Because no matter what their differences, we all want the same thing A future where every child in this Commonwealth can reach their potential.

The ultimate investment that we can make as a state is to invest in families and all those who love and care for them.

Today, as we celebrate the power of family engagement, let us challenge ourselves to do more.

At that event, Governor Andy Beshear signed a proclamation recognizing November 17th through the 23rd as Family and Community Engagement Week in education in the Commonwealth.