Parent Teacher Home Visits

Frequently Asked Questions Families Ask about Parent Teacher Home Visits (PTHV) 

• Who gets a home visit?

  • Any student and family are able to be visited!  Everyone can benefit from forming relationships of trust. 

  • Any family is eligible to participate in PTHV if they attend a PTHV participating school. It is a voluntary strategy and teachers and staff choose to participate.  Not every educator may participate each year.  This is voluntary for families too! To view if your school is participating this year, click here 

• Who benefits from the Parent Teacher Home Visit?

  • Everyone benefits! 

    • Everyone benefits!  Families often report better communication with the school after the visit.

    • Students often report feeling better about school since the home visit.  

    • Educators are better able to understand, support, and motivate their students after learning more about them. 

• Who can I expect to be at this home visit?

  • Two staff members from your child’s school will be attending.   In some cases, a third staff member may come along for interpretation, if needed. 

• What is the purpose?

  • The point of the visit is simply to get to know the families and learn about the students and family outside of school.  Staff learn about the students’ interests and the family’s hopes and dreams. 

• What is discussed during the home visit?

  • The focus of the visit is getting to know the students and family.  The staff will ask about your hopes and dreams for your child.   They may want to know about what motivates your child or what interests they have.

  • Families can share what they feel comfortable sharing.  This can include home life, hobbies, past experiences, goals, and aspirations.  

• What do I need to do to prepare for a home visit?

  • Absolutely nothing!  Just be at the agreed upon location at the agreed upon time.  If you need to reschedule, reach out to the school ahead of time.   

• What if I don’t want the visit to happen in my home?

  • Families get to choose where the Parent Teacher Home visit happens.  If you would prefer the visit to not happen in the home, the visit can happen at a public place, such as the park or library.   

• Does the home visit include discussions about behavior and academics?

  • The first home visit should focus on hopes and dreams.  The home visit discussion should not be related to school. If family and educators choose to have a second home visit, families can discuss behavior and academics. 

• Where does the PTHV happen?

  • Educators get to know families at the location of the family’s choice (except for school).   

• Is this a wellness/welfare check?

  • A Parent Teacher Home Visit is not a wellness/welfare check.  It is a voluntary meeting between educators and the family to build a relationship between home and school. 

• How long might a PTHV last?

  • Most home visits last 30-40 minutes.    

• How often do home visits happen?

  • These home visits can happen up to two times a school year. 

• Should my child be present at the home visit?

  • Parent Teacher Home visits can include the student, and most do!   The home visit can also be done with just the parent and staff members, if needed. 

• Is a tour of the home a part of a Parent Teacher Home visit?

  • If families would like, they can give the educators a tour of their home, share their pets, play games, etc. How much you are willing to share about yourselves, and your home is up to you.   

• If I get offered a Parent Teacher Home Visit, does it mean there is a problem?

  • No. Our model of home visits is a positive way to build relationships between home and school for any student and family.