In this interview, Peggy Charren, the founder and president of Action for Children's Television (ACT), talks about the organization's concerns, goals, and activities, as well as its effect on television programing and commericals intended for children. (Editor/SJL)

The growing role of teachers' unions in educational decision making, the emergence of educational bureaucracies, the rise of consumer consciousness, and the passage of laws that provide a legal basis for parent power have all stimulated the development of independent parent groups. (ST)

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)

Describes Project DESTINY, a federally funded support program for families with middle school students with emotional and behavioral disabilities in New Hampshire. The development of the program, the involvement of school staff and students, positive outcomes of the program, and tips for enhancing family involvement in schools are discussed. (CR)

Reviews information that teachers can impart to parents to assist them in parenting gifted children. Subjects addressed include characteristics of gifted learners, the need for early identification, school options, advocacy, myths about gifted students, the charge of elitism, the need to organize parent associations, burnout, and resources. (CR)

A home based project serving special needs children 0 to 5 years old in a rural area developed a mothers' group designed to increase parents' self esteem, decrease their isolation, and provide more information about their child's development. An introductory section outlines general assumptions of the group and describes a sequence of activities…

This digest offers guidelines for group advocacy efforts on behalf of gifted education. Four potential pitfalls are identified: using an adversarial rather than a persuasive approach; assuming that people in administrative and political positions are not too bright or not very knowledgeable--or both; being impatient; and ineffectively coping with…

In spite of strong political and pedagogical reasons for the study of parental attitudes towards language and bilingual education, recent empirical studies have not adequately been examined by policymakers. Yet today, new theories on second language learning have provided a further impetus for attention to parental attitudes. In 1974, Rhodes…

This workbook provides information and guidelines for planning and operating Parent Advisory Councils (P.A.C.s) provided for under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title I. The first part of the workbook, which was prepared for P.A.C. planners in the Phoenix, Arizona, Union High School District, is a month-by-month guide to P.A.C.…

Intended to give Parent Advisory Council (PAC) members exposure to their roles and responsibilities, the guide, written in Spanish and English, provides information on how to train PAC members on parliamentary procedures (Roberts Rules) and the importance of agendas and agenda construction. The guide's eight sections cover the rules/regulations,…

The author reviews research pertaining to parent behavior in relation to child development, repercussions of disability on family life, and techniques for helping parents of disabled children. Section 1 considers theoretical bases of parenting and normal development; biological, psychological, and social factors in the genesis of handicaps; parent…

This document contains testimony and prepared statements from the Congressional hearing called to examine strategies for the prevention of child abuse and neglect. Witnesses include the director of the National Committee for Prevention of Child Abuse, several representatives from Parents Anonymous, a psychiatric social worker who is also a…

Parent participation as a requirement of Title I programs is examined in this report. The extent and degree to which this participation is effectively implemented in 116 schools in eight states is described. Data from Federal, State and local officials and from Title I parents were used to determine what problems mandated parent involvement might…

The workshop documented in these proceedings had four purposes: (1) to develop dialogue within and between the several sectors of society whose interests and expertise are focused upon the role of television in the lives of children and youth; (2) to increase awareness of the need for making the television viewing experience of children and youth…

Using data from a survey of 330 parents of developmentally disabled children, the paper examines parents' participation in and attitudes toward special interest groups and political activities. Findings indicate that parents are willing to participate in special interest groups and political activities to a much greater extent than they have…