This report is the result of the participation of hundreds of students, families, school educators, and researchers who dedicated their time and energy to investigating the critical role that families and communities play in ensuring students and schools can flourish. It is a culmination of over two years of collaborative research and hundreds of…

This study surveyed 45 selected primary and secondary schools in Botswana which aimed to identify how parent and community involvement in the governance of schools affect teacher effectiveness and improvement of learner performance. The study started from January 2005 to December 2006. Literature review, administration of questionnaires, interview…

Noting that the need for after-school child care will vary considerably by community, this tool kit has been developed to encourage local collaborations of community members to examine the needs and programs for school-age care, with this term including child care before school and during the summer, in their community. The guide provides a…

This newsletter describes the 6-year Supporting Diversity in Schools (SDS) project that seeks to create school environments free of racial prejudice and privilege. It briefly describes the program's working themes: (1) giving a voice to people who have traditionally been silent in the shaping of classroom practices; (2) developing pride in…

The educational objective of this user's guide is to provide parents, teachers, and administrators with a resource to catalyze a wide range of partnerships and projects. Schools work best when everyone is actively involved so as to demonstrate democracy first hand. This program is designed to promote the democratic process of active citizenship in…

Designed for use by community education coordinators, elementary classroom teachers, PTA workers, school volunteers, and parents, this guide offers suggestions about ways to unite the school and the home in efforts to help children learn. The first section discusses the expanded role of the community education coordinator in parenting programs and…

Demographic changes are causing leaders in education, business and civic affairs to address new questions about racial and ethnic diversity. What opportunities does diversity provide? What difficulties does it create? What changes are needed in the ways that people look at problems, define solutions and do the everyday business of their lives? The…

This paper discusses the problems faced by Minnesota's Supporting Diversity in Schools organization in communicating their goal of making schools responsive to students of differing ethnic backgrounds. It was found that using terms such as "multicultural curriculum" and "isolation of schools and communities of color from one…

Intended for parents and all citizens concerned about improving Chicago's 592 public schools, this handbook, a Spanish language version of "All Our Kids Can Learn To Read" (1985), explains how important reading is to a decent education and future employment. Chapter one describes the school improvement campaign called…

This booklet describes the creation of a community education course to provide the one-to-one teacher-student ratio for adults and children who require it to learn to read and spell proficiently. The booklet begins with a discussion of arguments against establishing such a class, including: (1) parents cannot teach their own children; (2) teachers…

These two booklets, one for parents and the other for human service professionals, were designed by the Delaware Valley Child Care Council to provide information about local day care services to low and moderate income families, families with income at or below the poverty level, and families who either receive or have received public assistance…

Parents can help ensure that their elementary school students' science programs meet their needs. The article discusses the characteristics of a good science program, explains how parents can advocate for a good science program, and looks at the role of the PTA in supporting quality science programs. (SM)

Describes ways to involve parents in supporting quality reading instruction through communication and activities. The New Haven (Conn.) Public Schools used school book lending, newsletters, school-sponsored family nights, daytime parent visitation, and other strategies to increase parent participation. (SRT)

This guide for employed parents describes types of programs available to school-age children, criteria parents can use in selecting a program that meets their child's needs, and ways to find or develop neighborhood child care programs. Options for young children include day care centers, day care in schools, family day care, and care at home.…

This guide to including children with special needs in community programs in New Jersey begins with a history of the inclusion movement, stressing the importance of personal experiences and beliefs and ways in which inclusion benefits everyone. The following chapter provides answers to 32 frequently asked questions on successful inclusion of…