According to a Pittsburgh study, all families, regardless of socioeconomic status, have similar preferences concerning the nature and conduct of school communications. Parents view a "professional," businesslike manner as undesirable, whereas a personal touch (or timely information presented informally) is most likely to win parents'…

A Washington principal has developed nine strategies to increase parent-teacher conferences' value. Teachers should identify a student's strengths and weaknesses in reading, writing, listening, and speaking; highlight areas where progress is lacking; provide parents with work samples; discuss the student's participation level; and identify growth…

To deliver powerful presentations to parents, teachers should prepare handouts; indicate preferences for being contacted; find out what information parents have already received; provide a signup sheet for individual conferences; be organized, clear, concise, and cordial; deflect unrealistic suggestions; leave time for questions; anticipate…

Authors of "The Roller Coaster Years" (1997) advise how middle-level educators can turn wary, disinterested parents into allies. Teachers should welcome parents, advertise their own expertise, implement an early-warning system, portray children positively, convey shared values, reassure parents about children's safety, demonstrate insider…

Reviews ERIC resources concerning methods of achieving the desired state of mutual cooperation between parents and teachers. (AEW)

Reviews the Schools Reaching Out programs in New York City and Roxbury (MA). Describes and recommends three successful aspects of these programs: the parent center within the schools, home visits by teachers, and teacher action research teams. (DM)

The practicum was designed to increase parent participation in a preschool (birth to 3 years) special education program serving children with handicaps in Chicago, Illinois. The practicum was intended to provide parents with an effective and meaningful involvement in a structured program of transition services. Input from both staff and parents…

A homework-intervention training program for parents of male children with average or better skills and ability was evaluated. A series of individual parent consultation and training sessions were used to teach specific homework interventions. A multiple baseline design across participants produced favorable results over the school year.…

Strategies must be developed to assist in making the parent teacher conference run smoothly. The feelings and goals of the parents need to be taken into consideration. Nonverbal as well as verbal strategies should be designed. (JN)

Discusses a program for improving parent-teacher communication by means of advocate teachers who observe a small group of children and conduct conferences with their parents. Describes the implementation of this program in one nursery school, including program evaluations and parent satisfaction. (JPB)

Reliability methodology needs to evolve as validity has done into an argument supported by theory and empirical evidence. Nowhere is the inadequacy of current methods more visible than in classroom assessment. Reliability arguments would also permit additional methodologies for evidencing reliability in classrooms. It would liberalize methodology…

Observation of 26 initial placement/individual education plan (IEP) conferences for elementary age learning-disabled children found minimal parent participation during the conferences, but parents reported, in postconference interviews, satisfaction with the conferences. Results are related to the intent of P.L. 94-142, the Education for All…

This paper presents research in progress from a project which studies inclusive classrooms where culturally relevant literacy instruction is collaboratively planned and implemented. In such programs, teachers, preservice teachers, and professors analyze home and school connections for literacy learning. The core of this co-teaching process is…

This case study investigated parental perceptions of students with autism towards the IEP meeting from one family support group chapter in the north Texas area. Participants were asked to share their experiences of previous IEP meetings and to provide input regarding not only measures that school districts may take towards improving IEP meetings,…

Social workers' direct work with students can help to reduce the disparity between educational ability and achievement. Interventions with low achievers must include fostering linkages between home and school. Consultation and followup are necessary components for reducing underachievement. The intervention must be done in conjunction with school…