This article addresses the controversy surrounding the Safe Schools Coalition Australia. Certain politicians and media commentators have accused the initiative of harming the students it ostensibly aims to benefit. Those accusations have, in turn, been labelled 'homophobic' by supporters of the Coalition. This article suggests that the term…

A comprehensive school management system plan that includes parent participation and staff development is described. The staff development program is influenced by parents' input through surveys and through their direct involvement on site councils. (JMF)

The parent of a handicapped child reviews the development of parent groups and parent advocacy internationally. Among the programs described are weekend education courses for parents in Norway, deinstitutionalization efforts in England, mass media approaches in France, and the Extend-a-Family program in Canada in which a handicapped child is…

Describes the use of interactive homework, which requires parent and student participation, to strengthen the connection between parents and their children's school. Discusses the use of interactive homework in a kindergarten through fifth-grade program for Japanese as a foreign language at the Falk Laboratory School at the University of…

Presents evidence that schools inconsistently tap the social, cultural, and linguistic resources of families, privileging specific groups. Argues that teachers need to examine their literacy practices and the ways these affect students. Offers a description of an Australian program to provide a framework for bridging home and school literacies.…

This paper proposes the establishment of legally oriented parent education programs for never married parents. The paper describes a multifaceted program designed to provide information to never married parents on the legal system, personal and parental responsibility and its associated impact on children. Co-parenting issues, resolving conflicts…

A current project of the Southeastern Public Education Program (SEPEP) of the American Friends Service Committee is strengthening the implementation of parental involvement requirements of Title I of the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Toward this end, SEPEP has provided technical assistance to parent advisory council members in…

Outlines the difficulties parents face in the first year after childbirth and describes a postpartum intervention program. Obstacles faced by the program due to cultural prohibitions against acknowledging parental ambivalence to a newborn child are also discussed. (Author/DB)

Part of the series "Early Childhood Development: Practice and Reflections," this report details the Kushanda Project, an early childhood education program in Zimbabwe. The Kushanda Project is a 16-person organization that has helped parents in rural Zimbabwe communities to understand the value of early childhood education and…

This book presents findings of a study that identified and analyzed 18 recently developed programs or reform efforts in the United States that stress effective parental involvement. Chapter 1 provides a review of education literature and research on parent involvement from 1945 to 1985 and situates newly emerging efforts within the current climate…

In an era of curricular accountability where everything from reading and math scores to body fat are events to be assembled, scrutinized, and standardized, the health-conscious school plays an ever-important role in community and the nation (or so we are told). This qualitative study analyzes interviews with school leaders in their role in…

This paper discusses parent participation in education from three perspectives: current research and theoretical positions; a brief historical review of parent involvement and its limitations; and the comprehensive approach used by the School Development Program. The first section reviews past publications that focus on the importance of…

The 11 papers assembled in this volume reflect the readiness of professional social work to develop practice approaches for working with parents of children in foster care. The papers were written from different perspectives, emphasize diverse aspects of foster care, and disagree on many issues. A unifying theme exists, however, in the shared…

The article presents an interview with Dr. Franz Huber, developer and director of the American University Summer Enrichment Program for Gifted and Talented Children (6 to 11 years old). A list of guidelines for parents is also offered. (SB)

A model of parent involvement in computer education is discussed in relation to activities of the Computer Discovery Project at the Center for Young Children, University of Maryland. Content focuses on parents' attitudes and concerns about the use of microcomputers in educational settings. Growth in parents' involvement with computers is…