This workbook provides information and guidelines for planning and operating Parent Advisory Councils (P.A.C.s) provided for under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title I. The first part of the workbook, which was prepared for P.A.C. planners in the Phoenix, Arizona, Union High School District, is a month-by-month guide to P.A.C.…

Intended to give Parent Advisory Council (PAC) members exposure to their roles and responsibilities, the guide, written in Spanish and English, provides information on how to train PAC members on parliamentary procedures (Roberts Rules) and the importance of agendas and agenda construction. The guide's eight sections cover the rules/regulations,…

Describes ways in which parents and professionals are working together to ensure that goals related to family support are translated into policies, programs, and services in the care system for children and youth with serious emotional disorders. Features a parent organizing project in Wisconsin. (RJC)

This pamphlet notes how active family involvement in education can benefit children's achievement, attitudes, schools, and teachers. It describes how families and schools can work together to contribute to the education process. The pamphlet details the components of a family-school partnership promise to work together, exchange information,…

This article discusses the benefits of support groups and networks for parents of premature and high-risk infants. Options for starting and maintaining groups are discussed, and a resource section lists self-help organizations, training materials, and reference works. (Author/PB)

This article applies the business concepts of cooperative partnerships between purchaser and supplier to improvement of programs for gifted students. It encourages systematic liaison between parent groups (the purchasers) and school and program administrators (the suppliers). (DB)

The booklet offers information to help parents find resources for their handicapped children. Following a brief discussion of the difficulties of having a handicapped child is a chapter with tips about diagnosis. Among the suggestions offered are insisting on a clear and complete interpretation of all diagnostic reports and checking the library…

The manual describes development of a personal growth and peer support group for parents of developmentally delayed or disabled children which was designed to help parents adjust expectations about their infant or young child and to accommodate the handicap. Initial decisions regarding leader and participant characteristics and frequency and…

This handbook was designed for parents and school staff and administrators to provide information about organizing Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title I Parent Advisory Councils on the local school and school district levels. The handbook presents discussions on the history of Title I, funding, access to information, council organization,…

Discusses services and resources available for families, parents, and child care providers. Describes a National Resource Center for Children in Poverty; a guide for controlling infectious diseases among young children in day care; a directory of parent support groups; and reports of a link between household pesticides and childhood leukemia. (BB)

Even the best educational leaders can be unprepared for the responsibility of spending and accounting for the thousands of dollars that pass through school's books each year. Without a solid understanding of school financial management, administrators may find it a serious distraction from their primary pedagogical mission. They also risk damage…

A teacher in a day school for students with hearing impairments recounts development of a parent support group, including special problems and evidence of effectiveness. The article offers guidelines for other schools regarding preparation for meetings, conducting meetings, and possible meeting topics. (DB)

This survey of 11 presidents of professional education associations and parent organizations in Mississippi found that all responded positively to the idea of including gifted education workshops and presentations in future conference programs. Strategies for working with organizations and associations interested in gaining information on the…

This resource packet presents some of the arguments for, and research about, parents playing an active role in the education of their children--not just by being supportive at home, but also by being involved in the school. The issues covered include: (1) the need for parent involvement; (2) goals of parent involvement; (3) types of parent…

This article describes resources for supporting parents who have developmental disabilities, including a study on the strategies of parents with disabilities, a video of a couple who moved from an institution to marriage and parenthood, a guide for supporting parents, a resource center, and an online support network. (CR)