Utilizes data from a prospective longitudinal study of at-risk children to explore multiple predictors of high school dropouts across development. Results reveal association of early home environment, quality of early caregiving, socioeconomic status, IQ, behavior problems, academic achievement, peer relations, and parent involvement with dropping…

The low level of family involvement in school affairs has become a predominant explanation for a wide variety of school problems. Although there is little data to support the two underlying assumptions of this causal relationship, i.e., a decrease in family involvement, and the efficacy of parent participation in enhancing student performance,…

School social workers can foster partnerships between family and school. Both the home environment and the amount of parent involvement can add or detract from educational productivity for students. Aspirations for excellence have a better chance if the social worker helps to forge relationships between families, communities and schools. (VM)

This article reviews the literature on the development of literacy, showing literacy beginnings in the infant and young child within a literate family community, literacy development in a literate school community, and literacy specialization in a teacher education community. The literature is applied to preparation of teachers of students with…