This paper draws from a critical race multicase study of Black parents' school engagement experiences in a liberal U.S. public school district, focusing here on 12 mothers and fathers who participated in Parent Teacher Organizations (PTOs) and/or African American parent groups. I apply Critical Race Theory, particularly Crenshaw's notions of…

Background/Context: Given our current anti-immigrant context, it is pertinent that we understand how (un)documented parents who are members of a parent-organized and parent-initiated group come to develop a collectivist Latinx identity within oppressive and marginalizing structures and policies. Purpose/Objectives: This study analyzes the…

With discourse on immigration policies being brought to the forefront in U.S. education, educational leaders need to be more conscious than ever of changing demographics, diversity, and the multilingual and multicultural value of their students and community. This case study focuses on how educational leaders engage with Latino/a parents and how…

Wealthy parents in public school districts across the country are engaged in elaborate fund-raising efforts to improve the quality of education in their children's schools, giving them an advantage over families in schools without the same level of access to external resources. Through evaluating parent responses to district policies that address…

Parental involvement has been defined in various ways by researchers and is reported to have many advantages for children's education. The research utilises a case study strategy to investigate teachers' perspectives of parental involvement at four case sites in Barbados. In-depth interviews were done with teachers and analysis utilised content…

People will join organizations that serve a great cause in an effective and efficient manner. However, with so many different activities, issues, and concerns competing for people's attention each day, the purpose and goal of every PTA and PTSA membership must be clear, understandable, and practical to convert interested individuals into members.…

Local PTAs may see their state PTA and National PTA as just a group to which they have to pay membership dues without getting anything in return. They may not see the state PTA as a resource. Perhaps they are not attending their state convention or the National PTA convention because they do not perceive any value. The author has learned from…

Becoming a PTA volunteer takes more than a willingness to serve; it takes knowing how to work effectively within the PTA and school community. This article describes what National PTA offers volunteers. When one trains with PTA resources, one has a chance to: (1) Participate in workshops and seminars with family-engagement experts; (2) Network…

The primary aim of the study from which this paper derives was to investigate the level of parental involvement in the schooling of their children. The study employed a descriptive case study research design. All data were based on unstructured interviews with the 30 parents whose children attended one of the primary schools located in the London…

While virtually everyone agrees that it is important for parents and caregivers to get involved in their children's education--in fact, when asked, most parents will gush about how much they care about the education of their child--there is a disconnect when it comes to Parent Teacher Association (PTA). Parents, especially younger ones, have…

Interest in the perception of barriers that impact parents' involvement in Central Middle Schools' Parent Teacher Organization was a result of the low P T O membership rolls. Some educational research supports that socio-economic status, family values toward education, race, and relationship to students are factors that present barriers to parent…

Each edition of the IDRA Newsletter strives to provide many different perspectives on the issues in education topics discussed and to define its significance in the state and national dialogue. This issue focuses on Parent and Community Engagement and includes: (1) Principles of Family Leadership in Education--Putting Principles into Action…

The primary role of any library is to provide resources and services for its patrons, and school library media centers are no exception. Most of the time, library media specialists think of patrons only in terms of students and faculty. However, there are a variety of ways library media specialists can expand influence and increase support from…

This booklet is designed to encourage and assist parents in locating or starting a parent support group. It provides guidelines and suggestions for group formation and can serve as a resource guide for parent support groups. The eight sections of the booklet address the following topics: (1) the role of parent support groups; (2) definitions of a…

The president of the national Parent Teacher Association discusses the organization's activism and its areas of major concern--collective bargaining, urban education, the establishment of a Department of Education, and community support for public education. (IRT)