Given that the professional literature provides ample evidence of the importance of parental involvement and its effect on learners' academic outcomes and positive social/emotional states, the aim of this quantitative study was to understand and compare the perceptions of preservice teachers regarding parental involvement and family engagement in…

Identifying family strengths is central to early childhood practices. Moving beyond identification to exploring and explicitly applying those strengths can evolve strengths-based and family capacity-building practices. Assessment and planning processes that focus on the strategies families use to help their child learn can give agency to families…

This study was a companion study, modeled after a 2013 study that explored the relationship between secondary teachers' self-efficacy beliefs, their family involvement self-efficacy beliefs, and the frequency and type of parental involvement practices. This study explored the same relationship between elementary school teachers and parental…

There is growing recognition of the need and importance for high-quality science teaching and learning in early childhood. The increased emphasis on science stems from recognition of the following: (1) young children are curious and interested in making sense of the world around them (Larimore, 2020); (2) early science experiences not only support…

The SEL Innovations series aims to help the field imagine new, more expansive and equitable approaches to SEL and wellness to ensure that all children, adolescents, and adults feel safe, supported, and seen so that they can thrive. This report focuses on the conditions and guiding actions to foster authentic school-family partnerships. Research…

Family engagement with schools has been shown to be a predictor of student success (Powell et at., 2010) and federal statute supports school/ family relationships through the Family Engagement in Education Act. For students with disabilities (SWD), family engagement may be even more critical. Unfortunately, data has suggested that family…

Research indicates that parents who are involved in their children's schools support their children's learning at home, and engage more frequently with their children's teachers (Reinke et al., 2019). In contrast, lower levels of parental involvement are associated with adverse behaviors at school, less social interactions, and lower academic…

This paper presents a small-scale Critical Participatory Action Research (CPAR) study, investigating school leaders' efforts to enhance families' engagement in their children's learning, through classroom teachers' use of social media. The study occurred within three Australian primary schools, situated within a culturally and linguistically…

The field of early intervention is rapidly expanding. Individuals trained in Human Development and Family Science programs are uniquely situated for work in this setting, due to their diverse understanding of human development, from birth through death, and the role of the family system in influencing development. More specifically, individuals…

This dissertation delves into the crucial realm of teacher-parent communication, recognizing its pivotal role in establishing a foundation of trust with families. This study employs a qualitative approach to emphasize the bidirectional and continuous nature of effective communication. It adopts a case study methodology, focusing on ten early…

The closure of schools worldwide in response to the COVID-19 pandemic required parents to undertake key pedagogical roles to support their children's education and movement to a remote, often virtual world of online teaching presented many challenges for families. For the parents of children attending special schools, the loss of educational, as…

Problem: Few factors are as important to student success as family engagement in the educational process. One overarching barrier to perceived parental/caregiver involvement in urban high schools is the use of traditional definitions of family involvement, which are still espoused by school personnel, that place an emphasis on one-way school-based…

College and universities have seen a shift in parent and family involvement in their traditional-aged college student's experience. Generation Z members, born between 1995-2012, were born into a world with the Internet, smartphones, and social media (Twenge, 2017). As defined by Wartman & Savage (2008), parent involvement includes parents and…

Introduction: Early informal learning experiences are essential for sparking long-term interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). In a prior study, we found more promising parent involvement outcomes when families of young children were provided with STEM family education events along with home STEM activity kits compared to…

The first Early Intervention Conference was in Georgia in August of 2023. The first day of the conference was a tremendous success. Attendees called their friends and colleagues encouraging them to attend the following day. There was evidence of enthusiasm and enjoyment throughout the venue from snippets of networking conversations to selfies…