Discusses the importance of parent involvement in increasing student achievement. Highlights include program ideas for PTA (Parent Teacher Association) and media specialist partnerships; the National PTA Standards for Parent and Family Involvement; technology education programs; and the role of library and media specialists. (LRW)

This article discusses the outcomes of a project that used a community development framework to implement change in early care and intervention services in two culturally diverse communities. It describes how community forums and parent leadership training assisted in change efforts and lessons learned from implementation and evaluating reforms.…

A study investigated the efficacy of specific interventions (mentoring, parental involvement, and multicultural curricula) on academic achievement of 273 elementary students from low-socioeconomic environments. The interventions had no statistically significant effect on student achievement in any grade. However, by the end of the program,…

Now in its third full school year of implementation, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) has been drawing praise and blame. It has been praised for its goals of increasing all students' learning, requiring disaggregated data to monitor the progress of major subgroups of students, and having high-quality teachers in all schools. It has been…

Sources of variations in parents' assessment of helpgiving practices and perceived control appraisals were investigated in this study. Participants included 69 parents of children, birth to age five, with disabilities or at-risk for poor developmental outcomes. Results indicated that parent and family characteristics showed no relationship to…

Because all early childhood programs must now be prepared to serve children with special needs, early childhood staffs confront a host of new challenges and opportunities. This research monograph offers early childhood educators a foundational resource of information needed to develop inclusion practices. Chapter 1, "Introduction to the…

The Families Involved in Schools and Community (FISC) Project was a federally funded project to develop and demonstrate the use of a model Individualized Family Service Plan process for young children with challenging needs and their families. The model emphasizes an individualized family systems perspective, informal nonintrusive assessment and…

This book provides information on the research into minority-parent involvement in education, focusing specifically on the involvement of parents who experience social and economic limitations to full participation in American society: racial and ethnic minority-group members, low-income families, poorly educated parents, and parents who do not…

The theoretical perspectives of school and family partnerships discussed in this report are based on the influences of families and schools on children's learning and development. A review of research deals with three topics: (1) the importance of family environments and involvement; (2) the influence of school environments on family involvement;…

The eight digests and nine FAST (Focused Access to Selected Topics) annotated bibliographies included in this special collection focus on family involvement--parents and their children working together to learn. The material in the special collection is designed for use by teachers, students, administrators, researchers, policy makers, and…

This guide discusses policies and programs that help families contribute to and support educational excellence. Chapter 1, on the significance of family involvement, covers increased student achievement; home learning activities; improved student behavior; family and teacher acceptance; benefits to parents, teachers, and the community; basic…

This guide, in Spanish, offers practical advice to Latino parents on how to help their children succeed academically. Chapter 1, "About This Booklet," discusses the importance of parent involvement in a child's education and development and reviews the format of the five other chapters. Chapter 2, "What Is Parent Involvement, and…

This guide offers practical advice to Latino parents on how to help their children succeed academically. Chapter 1, "About This Booklet," discusses the importance of parent involvement in a child's education and development, and reviews the format of the other five chapters. Chapter 2, "What Is Parent Involvement, and Why Should I…

A study examined the effectiveness of the Parent Readers program, an intergenerational reading project which attempted to change the reading behaviors of underprepared community college students who are parents and to affect the literacy environment of the home in ways that promote the literacy status of the parents/students and their children.…

Drawn from the experiences of actual families as well as from research findings, this book is intended to show parents how storybook reading promotes language and literacy development and instills in children a love of books and reading. Each section of the book contains parent-child vignettes and photographs of families reading books together.…