Klein, Texas—Klein ISD is celebrating another statewide honor after being named a 2025 recipient of the Anita Villarreal Innovation in Engagement Award, sponsored by the Title I, Part A Parent and Family Engagement Statewide Initiative. Klein ISD is one of only four districts statewide to earn this designation, which recognizes clear gains in student outcomes driven by strong parent and family engagement.
The award is presented to districts and schools that demonstrate verified improvements in student achievement tied to family engagement through clear goals, collaborative planning with families and staff, and evidence-based evaluation of what works.
This honor is Klein ISD’s fifth statewide recognition for best practices in family engagement, including Klein ISD Parent University and Klein ISD Parent Orchestra.
“We are deeply honored and grateful to have received the 2025 Anita Villarreal Innovation in Engagement Award,” Director of Family Engagement Maria Ovalle Lopez said. “This prestigious recognition celebrates our district’s steadfast commitment to fostering strong, intentional family-school partnerships that are fundamental to supporting student achievement. Our framework, the Multi-Tiered System of Supports for Family Engagement, empowers our staff to precisely tailor resources and supports that directly enhance student academic performance, powerfully driving forward our Promise2Purpose vision.”
The district’s winning approach embeds family partnerships into a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), aligning tiered resources with student needs across academics, attendance, behavior, and basic needs, turning everyday collaboration into measurable growth.
“Family engagement is deeply connected to a child’s success. Parents are our students’ first and forever teachers,” Klein ISD Superintendent Dr. Jenny McGown said. “By intentionally investing in our parent-school partnership, we’re ensuring students and families receive the support they need to thrive. We are so proud of the excellent work that our Family Engagement team has done to earn this state-level recognition of excellence. Thank you to our fantastic staff and, of course, our involved and dedicated parents in Klein ISD.”
Klein ISD looks forward to building on this momentum, welcoming more families into the work, and celebrating even more student success stories in the year ahead. Together, we celebrate this milestone with our students, staff, and their outstanding families.