Engaging parents and families in their children's lives is pivotal to youth's success in school and life. When families are engaged, youth obtain higher grades, attend school more frequently, perform better on high-stakes testing, display improved behavior and are more likely to graduate from school (Emerson et al., 2012; Goodall & Montgomery,…

On 10 December 2007 the Akron City School Board--following the precedent set by many school systems across the United States and the world--instituted a policy of mandatory school uniforms for all students in grades K-8. The measure was met with mixed reviews. While many parents supported the measure, a small group of parents from a selective,…

Examines parent involvement practices and philosophies of an urban education model, Project FAST, to develop collaborative relationships between parents and schools. Student achievement and parental commitment to education are greater in this program than in a traditional setting. (MMU)

The primary purpose of this study was to determine whether the nature of leadership in Ohio Title I Schoolwide Project Schools that were deemed effective by the U.S. Department of Education differed from leadership in those Ohio Title I Schoolwide Project schools that were considered ineffective. The specific focus was to determine whether…

Many school systems have so much difficulty when it comes to educating students between the ages of 12 and 15. There seems to be perennial dissatisfaction with how public schools educate these "young adolescents." The grade configurations of schools varied, but the dominant pattern was eight years of primary school followed by four years…

This paper describes a Goals 2000 project intended to redesign preservice teacher education, practicing teacher roles, and student learning experiences within a Professional Development School framework. The team includes teaching faculty from the University of Akron (Ohio) College of Education Department of Curricular and Instructional Studies,…