This report gives voice to program and parent perspectives on family and community engagement practices by describing findings from a series of focus groups that were conducted across Illinois with ECE center-based directors, teachers, other staff, and parents or family members. The purpose of the focus group study was to gather information about diverse perspectives on promising practices and common challenges around working with families and communities in center-based ECE programs and to inform the state's development of supports and resources for programs seeking to achieve the Family and Community Engagement Award of Excellence in ExceleRate Illinois, the state's new quality rating and improvement system. (author abstract)