Essential Effectiveness Tools in Support of Family and Consumer Sciences Education

What are the Essential Effectiveness Tools?

These Tools are easily accessible resources to assist in support of Family and Consumer Sciences secondary education. The Tools are organized into three components:

  • Advocacy
  • Documenting Effectiveness and Impact
  • Professional Development Opportunities

 What is the purpose of the Tools?

To place ongoing advocacy tools, effectiveness data, links, and other strategies in one easily accessible location on the AAFCS website that will enable stakeholders to utilize the tools provided.

Who will use the Tools?

Family and Consumer Sciences teachers, supervisors, and teacher educators; Career and Technical Education administrators, Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America Advisers; and other supporters of Family and Consumer Sciences education will use the Tools as resources when communicating the value of Family and Consumer Sciences Education to students, parents, school district administrators and board members, legislators, and other policymakers.

 Why are the Tools needed?

Family and Consumer Sciences secondary education programs are at risk. School districts across the nation are facing severe economic constraints. Curricular emphasis is on math, science, and traditional “academics.” School boards and administrators are making difficult choices—choices that too often result in reducing the number of Family and Consumer Sciences teachers or even eliminating programs.

Strong, multi-faceted advocacy for Family and Consumer Sciences Education is essential in order to sustain programs now and in the future.   The Tools are designed to help supporters of Family and Consumer Sciences to:

  • locate information through the links provided,
  • demonstrate effectiveness with examples provided,
  • help the public connect the term “Family and Consumer Sciences” with the body of knowledge formerly known as “Home Economics,”
  • engage partners in supporting Family and Consumer Sciences Education
  • promote the Tools to Family and Consumer Sciences teachers during conferences and meetings, and
  • participate in relevant professional development opportunities.

Key to effective advocacy is statistical data on the effectiveness of Family and Consumer Sciences education that will enable advocates to:

  • validate academic performance and relevance,
  • illustrate alignment with academics,
  • provide comparisons to other programs of study, and
  • build respect of parents, administrators, policymakers, business and industry, private funders, and the general public for Family and Consumer Sciences Education.

The Essential Effectiveness Tools are easily accessible resources to assist in support of Family and Consumer Sciences secondary education.

Download the infographic on the status of FCS secondary education (pictured at right)

News Articles that Support Family & Consumer Sciences Education

January 2015 - "How Home Ec Could Save a Generation"

September 2014 - "Class Dismissed: Thought on Education"

July 2014 - “The DIY World of Maker Tools and Their Uses”

November 2013 - "Dear Michelle Obama: If We Want to Curb Childhood Obesity, Sesame Street Is Not Going to Cut It"

October 2013 - "Bring Back Home Ec!"

October 2013 - "Why Home Ec Should Be Mandatory"

October 2013 - “Lessons in Self Reliance”

June 2012 - "Bring Back Home Ec!"


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Research that Supports Family & Consumer Sciences Education

Family and Consumer Sciences in Secondary Schools: Results of a National Survey
Published in the January 2006 issue of the Journal of Family & Consumer Sciences, this article provides national statistics on FCS secondary school programs.

Family and Consumer Sciences Secondary School Programs: National Survey Shows Continued Demand for FCS Teachers
Published in the January 2014 issue of the Journal of Family & Consumer Sciences, this article provides national statistics on FCS secondary school programs.

Effectiveness of Family & Consumer Sciences Programs (1985 - 2004)
Published in the January 2006 issue of the Journal of Family & Consumer Sciences, this article highlights results of a review of available literature (1985 to 2004) to substantiate the effectiveness of family and consumer sciences (FCS) secondary-level public school programs.

Bibliography from FCS Effectiveness Study
Lists studies and reports relevant to the effectiveness of FCS secondary education. For each article, the bibliography summarizes the purpose of the study, research methodology, and findings.

FCS Education - Teacher Certification Program Directory

Looking for a program to earn certification to teach FCS?? Click here to check out the interactive listing of post-secondary programs! The online, interactive directory of FCS Education Teacher Certification Programs was created by Amanda Holland, Doctoral Student in Family and Consumer Sciences Education, Texas Tech University and Dr. Karen Alexander.  Effective June of 2018, the map is being maintained by the National Partnership to Recruit, Prepare, and Support FCS Educators (USDA-NIFA Grant).  

Members-Only Benefit

AAFCS members may request a letter of support for their program by sending an email to membership@aafcs.org. This letter is signed by AAFCS national leaders.

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