Douglas County School

The Home Visit Program is the creation of Angela Lange, Douglas County School District’s Dropout Reduction Specialist. Originally thought to be needed only during the pandemic to address the disconnect between students and in-person education, the Home Visit Program is still going strong today. 

During the 2020-2021 school year, the DCSD Student Assistance Department, in partnership with the DCSD Counseling Department,  DCSD Language, Culture and Equity Department, and the Parker Task Force, created a program called Care Crew to conduct home visits with students and families who are not engaging with education. Angela, along with staff counselors Evelyn Peterson and Jessica Zimmerman were an integral part of this. “Research and anecdotal evidence from other Denver Metro Area school districts showed that home visits from school staff dramatically increased engagement from families that had disengaged from their education,” said Lange. 

Home visits provide staff the opportunity to identify potential barriers that families may not otherwise open up about, allowing school staff to connect families with other district or community resources to address their specific needs. By addressing potential external barriers, students and families are able to then successfully engage in education.

Over the four years that Care Crew has existed, 535 DCSD families have been visited, and an average of 72% of students improved engagement in school - and parents have noticed.

 “I am totally blown away that you showed up at my house to check on my son today. You are awesome! We talked and I feel like we got a little bit closer with where we need him to be. Thank you again, and I am truly grateful,” said a parent. 

Currently, qualified staff are approved to be a part of Care Crew after completing training.  As of January 2024,16 of DSCD’s schools are trained and actively participating in this program. 

For more information on Care Crew, contact Angela Lange at [email protected].