Starting from the premise that children learn better when their learning community respects their families and cultures, this thought-provoking resource shows what it means--and what it takes--to include today's diverse parents in their children's learning. Moving readers away from out-of-date practices that can potentially marginalize and devalue…

This article describes the 1st-year evaluation of a community-wide parent and family involvement program initiated in a midsized Southeast community and school district. The program consists of three major components: community-wide efforts, school-home communication, and home involvement. Formative and summative evaluation data were gathered…

The purpose of this directory is to facilitate networking and collaboration among those caring for or providing support services to children with chronic illness or disabling conditions. It is hoped that this directory will enable parents to identify other parents who share their interests and concerns, as well as assist professionals in locating…

Intended for South Carolina families with a child having mental retardation, this guide encourages families to participate in all aspects of programs and services and offers guidelines for working with professionals. Five to 30 suggestions or tips are listed for each of the following aspects: (1) learning that your child has special needs (e.g.,…

Parents of children with disabilities are frequently asked to tell all or part of their family's life story. These stories are potentially powerful ways to develop empathic relationships among parents and professionals. This document discusses ways parents can prepare and present their stories so that key themes are emphasized and the information…

The Families in Education Program, dedicated to nurturing a family-community-school partnership, provides this packet for Wisconsin schools to use throughout the year to promote families and learning. The articles in this packet contain ideas for making family-community partnerships work in the schools. Articles address the following topics: (1)…

One way to involve parents in their children's education is to create a parent center in or near the school. In an informal setting, parents can meet other parents and their children's teachers to plan activities and exchange information. The center should be in an accessible location and open when parents are most likely to visit, such as early…

In order to assist professionals and policymakers more consistently engage parents in their work, this document uses the personal stories of several parents to illustrate how parents get involved in family programs and how some parents built on their natural leadership abilities to move from personal involvement to take on broader leadership…

This monograph offers suggestions to teachers and administrators for involving parents in middle school programs. It outlines the reasons for encouraging such involvement, identifies some of the roles parents may play, and delineates the steps to be taken in establishing a program that taps the time and talents of parents and other adults.…

A program that brings educators and Hispanic parents of deaf children into a cooperative relationship and enables families to meet and help each other is described. Suggestions on program planning, enlisting administrative and parental support, making regional connections, presenting workshops, and overcoming language and cultural barriers are…

Why should schools have a Family Math Night? It helps students learn essential math concepts. It gives parents a chance to serve as models of motivation, persistence and competence. It promotes math success in a supportive setting. With its step-by-step directions and suggestions for both teachers and parents, this book takes the worry out of…

This handbook discusses the following types of parent involvement in education: (1) decision-making; (2) parents as educators; (3) advocacy; (4) school support; and (5) parent education and support. The benefits of parent involvement are outlined. Examples from New York City's 1987-88 Parent Involvement Program (PIP) demonstrate that parent…

This manual on development of transition planning programs/services for high school youth with disabilities and their families is based on the premises that both youth and family members need to be actively involved in every step of the transition planning process, that empowered families can access necessary transition and adult services needed…

The Next Steps Conference was one of a series of meetings held for the purpose of increasing the capacity of family members, professionals, and other interested citizens to work together on behalf of children who have serious emotional disorders and to shape an agenda for improved services. The conference was organized around four major issues:…

This manual is designed to support community organizations, concerned educators, and parents as they work to improve local public schools on behalf of immigrant students. Each chapter focuses on central elements of quality schooling from the perspective of the young immigrant. Within each chapter, an analysis of current conditions prevalent in…