The relationship of schools to diverse communities demands attention by administrators, teachers, staff members, and volunteers. How well the three constructs mesh depends on the abilities and sensitivities of all constituencies involved. Three components are essential to successful programs that involve families in an educational setting:…

It is no secret that strong parental involvement is essential for school success. Yet, it is still a challenge to get parents more involved in their children's education. According to the most recent MetLife Survey of the American Teacher, teachers and principals agree on the importance of parental involvement--71% of principals and 59% of…

The purpose of the study was to examine if there was a relationship between socio-economic status (SES) and parental/community involvement in elementary schools, and if there is a significantly significant difference between low SES schools and high SES schools with regard to parental/community involvement. Socio-economic status was measured by…

The first contact parents may have with a professional in relation to their child with a disability is often at the point of diagnosis. From that moment onwards, parents embark on a journey that generally involves the formation of many relationships with professionals working in the field. These relationships have the potential to facilitate…

This book shows parents how to transform their family's involvement in mathematics with ways to expose their children to the mathematics they need. Parents learn to uncover the mathematics in their daily lives and how to participate with their children in mathematics learning. The book discusses mathematical literacy and chronicles a typical day…

The guide is designed to facilitate communication training in the classroom and at home through involvement of parents in the education of their severely multiple handicapped child. Section 1 addresses the advantages of family involvement in the areas of assessment, programing, classroom assistance, and advocacy. The next three sections deal with…

The Mama Lere Parent-Infant Training Program (Nashville, Tennessee) which serves hearing- and speech-impaired children focuses on family involvement and an intervention plan which includes four service delivery components: facilitation of child communicative competence; educational advocacy and team decision making; information exchange; and…

The involvement of the Dunham family and their physically disabled son with the Family Challenge Program (Westfield, Massachusetts) is outlined with particular attention to how the family relationships (especially between father and son) have grown closer through improved communication, cooperation, and trust, thereby creating a partnership. (JMM)

The involvement of 1,000 parents of gifted and talented children in the educational system was studied in New York and Cleveland. A questionnaire determined their involvement in 27 selected service, financial, and parent education practices. Contrary to some expectations, these parents were not very involved in school activities. (SLD)

The concept of a new family coordinator (someone to orient new families to the local 4-H programs and serve as a contact person for them) is examined. The training of this coordinator, the "New Family Handbook," and benefits of this new system are discussed. (CT)

Arguments for an education voucher proposal are presented with particular application to California, which is experiencing a rapid shift from public to private schools. (JMF)

Provides a framework for developing family literacy programs. Explains the characteristics of effective family literacy activities. Shares a compilation of family literacy goals and activities recently developed by a group of Ohio teachers. (RS)

Presents advice from researches and practitioners on how schools can cultivate parent involvement that improves student achievement: Redefine parent involvement, train teachers to work with parents, reach out to parents, stay in touch, encourage parents to advocate for their children, and invest in family involvement. (Contains 10 online…

Because of limited resources and rising populations, more intentional relationships among university departments are needed to achieve common goals, especially in parent programming. Article focuses on novel partnering opportunities for student affairs and institutional advancement departments. (GCP)

Highlights the themes of this special issues of "New Direction for Student Services," providing a rationale and strategy for working with parents of college students. Suggests titles for further research. (GCP)