Background: Since the COVID-19 pandemic, American students have demonstrated substantial losses in achievement (Amplify, 2021; Domingue et al., 2021; Dorn et al., 2020; Storey & Zhang, 2023), while chronic absenteeism doubled after the pandemic, with the largest increase among low-income students (Chang et al., 2022; Dorn et al., 2021). Among…

One of the most difficult school-community relation problems relates to the principal's involvement with the teachers and parents of the area. Poor communication and limited time are chief contributors to the problem and improvement requires a firm plan of operation. Here are eight ideas that can be utilized in developing a program of effective…

Intended for educators working with children who have suffered traumatic brain injuries (TBI), this brief paper addresses parent issues, administrative issues, and programmatic issues. Noted are the five stages of adjustment typically experienced by parents: shock, elation, reality, crisis, and mourning. Professionals are encouraged to be informed…

The article defines the term, "transition," discusses the types of transitions that occur during early childhood special education, explores the rationale for studying and planning such transitions, and identifies transition issues and procedures. Tables offer data on critical events in rearing a handicapped family member, commercially available…

The handbook is intended as a guide to help teachers and coordinators in programs for gifted and talented students. Sections present situations and suggestions for action in the following topic areas with sample situations: school administration (refusal of district administration to apply for state aid); coordination responsibilities (request by…

Development of home-school partnership programs involves encouraging parental participation through communication of mutual respect, sharing ownership, sharing problem solving, agreeing upon roles and responsibilities, assessing home variables, acknowledging the home as a naturalistic setting, and promoting prosocial student behavior. (JDD)

This issue brief looks at evaluations of 34 academically focused summer programs in order to distill challenges and compile promising strategies for creating quality summer programs. While many summer programs face similar implementation challenges, each program has different components and needs, and not every strategy is feasible or even…

A description of the Parent University program of the San Rafael (California) City Schools is presented. The Parent University is described as a 1-day event in which parents are offered a variety of seminars and workshops on topics in education and parenting. Materials included in this document are: (1) an overview of the second annual Parent…

Ten steps are usually necessary for successful mainstreaming of handicapped children: (1) Assess the handicapped child's readiness for mainstreaming; (2) Assess the parents' readiness level; (3) Meet with the school or agency's chief administrator; (4) Arrange visits to potential mainstreaming sites; (5) Confer with teachers at the chosen site;…

Presents nine public relations programs developed for a Connecticut elementary school that were adapted from other schools and tailored to the school's specific needs. (MD)

A teacher in a day school for students with hearing impairments recounts development of a parent support group, including special problems and evidence of effectiveness. The article offers guidelines for other schools regarding preparation for meetings, conducting meetings, and possible meeting topics. (DB)

High levels of parent involvement in their children's education result in higher student achievement; higher attendance levels; a decline in dropout rates; fewer disciplinary problems; and better student motivation, self-esteem, and behavior. Since unacknowledged parents withdraw from the school, schools should acknowledge parent participation. To…

This handbook offers school districts a suggested framework for planning the implementation of a sex education program with minimal funds, using existing teachers, and building on existing support among parents, students, faculty, and administrators. In the first section of the guide, the planning and implementation process is briefly described,…

Noting that volunteer programs succeed only with careful forethought and maintenance, this book is designed to provide information necessary to create and operate a successful volunteer program in an elementary school setting. Steps in thinking about volunteers in innovative ways, recruitment, training, maintaining program effectiveness, and…

This manual puts forth strategies for integrating students with severe disabilities, which have been successfully implemented by administrators and teachers in public schools. A sequential set of suggestions and practical examples to help administrators plan integration policy is also featured. The first chapter describes a conflict between a…