This article is excerpted from "Giving Our Children a Fighting Chance: Poverty, Literacy, and the Development of Information Capital" by Susan B. Neuman and Donna C. Celano. Based on 21 studies conducted over 10 years in two neighborhoods, it offers a new lens on the achievement gap--and the need for both school and community solutions. The…

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 raised awareness of the educational quality gap between European Americans and minorities, especially in reading. This gap underscores the importance that students master basic reading skills in order to achieve higher levels of reading proficiency. The purpose of this quantitative quasi-experimental study was…

Given expectations for higher standards teachers must find ways to improve family involvement and build a community atmosphere within the classroom. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine the implementation of a family involvement program into a first grade classroom. Epstein's six types of parent involvement formed the theoretical…

The poor performance of middle school students in reading was addressed by examining the effects of an 8-week reading intervention program for middle school students in one school district in the southeastern United States. Two research questions were developed: (a) Is there a significant difference in the level of the students' reading skills,…

An action research project described a program for improving reading skills and comprehension through the use of parental involvement. The targeted population consisted of primary students located at four different sites in Northern Illinois. The problem of low reading achievement was documented through data revealing a large number of students…

Presents the results of a three-year study designed to improve reading achievement through the use of an organized parent and teacher "comment card" program which encouraged parents to listen to and evaluate their children's reading and encouraged written dialogue between parents and teachers. Provides an sample of the card form used and typical…

Reports the findings of an experiment designed to assess the effects of parental involvement in the teaching of reading to young children, specifically the effects of hearing oral reading at home. The method of the study is described in detail. Five tables and a reference list are included. (JL)

This study examined whether there is an association between the activities suggested by a federally mandated Title I learning compact and the reading achievement of at-risk fourth grade students. In addition, it investigated the relationship between specific home and school parent involvement activities and student reading scores. Specifically,…

The Reading Excellence program seeks to provide a cadre of trained volunteers to deliver tutorial assistance in reading to at-risk students during non-instructional times that will result in significant improvement in student performance on reading and language arts as measured by their age-appropriate standardized tests. This paper describes the…

This monograph is composed of two papers, one which discusses a study undertaken to examine standardized reading tests in relation to pupils' performance and another which contains samples of materials that could be made available to parents by their children's teachers or by community leaders. The research project analyzed the scores of 61…

This book suggests that, powered by the dynamics of the economy, the reading crusade of Americans, a blueprint for action, and unprecedented momentum, a significant reading breakthrough in reading achievement is within reach in the United States. By "starting early," the roots of reading take hold well before children go to school; and by…

This book suggests that, powered by the dynamics of the economy, the reading crusade of Americans, a blueprint for action, and unprecedented momentum, a significant reading breakthrough in reading achievement is within reach in the United States. By "starting early," it addresses the fact that the roots of reading take hold well before children go…

The goal of the Elementary and Middle School Readinq and Communication Skills Component of the Detroit School desegregation plan was to improve students' reading achievement. The major facet of the program was a reading instruction management system called the Detroit Objective-Referenced Tests System (DORT). DORT is a diagnostic-prescriptive…

A comparison of the effects of educational counseling of parents of backward readers with the effects of specialized remedial help for such readers suggests that an interested, well-informed staff who can enlist the positive cooperation of parents can substantially reduce the problem of reading failure without elaborate specialized provisions. (GT)

Indicates that hearing stories read aloud in their native languages did not interfer with ESL children's reading achievement in English, and there were many benefits from having parents read those stories in a school setting. (FL)