The emphasis in this annotated bibliography is citizen participation in education in the areas of decision making, policy development, and school governance. The focus is on the public school and school system rather than on private and parochial schools. One hundred fifty books, parts of books, and published reports are annotated, together with…

Discusses collaboration between the Research and Development Center and the Institute for Responsive Education and its national reform project called the League of Schools Reaching Out. League seeks to show how school-family-community partnerships can contribute significantly to school restructuring or reform aimed at increasing all children's…

One main hope for reform in public schools lies in the emerging third force of parents and citizens. Citizen influences in educational decisionmaking taps new ideas and energy, and provides leverage to bring about reform in improving the quality of services. Describes some changes the third force has brought about. (Author)

Successful school/community partnerships incorporate three elements: reciprocity, democratic processes, and access to varied opportunities. Principals can create sound partnerships by looking first to teachers, making schools family-friendly, reaching into their communities, seeking increased responsibility by families, and understanding mutual…

The League of Schools Reaching Out is a national project to show how family/community/school partnerships can contribute significantly to school restructuring. It aims to increase the academic and social success of all children, especially those society labels as at risk. The league is attempting to expand the notion that the internal methods,…

There are many different forms of community involvement and citizen participation in the schools. But while the quantity is high, the quality and impact are lagging far behind. The author (who is president of the Institute for Responsive Education) advocates the reintroduction of democratic values into education. Through school-based management,…

Discusses approaches to the participation of citizen groups, parents, and students in educational collective bargaining. (JG)

Over the past twenty years, Federal government intervention has had a greater impact on elementary and secondary education than most citizens, educators, or politicians realize. Federal intervention has taken two directions: initiatives to redistribute educational resources through compensatory educational programs, and initiatives towards target…

This report is part of a research study on citizen participation in educational decision making. Data are drawn from: (1) interviews with school administrators, school board members, teachers' union representatives, members of the media, political figures involved in educational issues, officers and members of citizens' organizations, state…

A vast number of different types of citizens' groups participate in the educational process with differing degrees of involvement. Besides school-oriented groups, there are child advocacy and neighborhood associations, other citizens groups that have broad concerns but are in part interested in schools, and the advisory committees created by legal…

Schools participating in the League of Schools Reaching Out, a national reform project, offer multiple examples of practices to increase family and community involvement. These numerous efforts exist without benefit of a clear, comprehensive, and supportive policy. Developing such a system must be a national priority. (SLD)

Five years of research on collaborative practices have led the Center on Families, Communities, Schools, and Children's Learning to formulate 10 policy recommendations for a comprehensive program of school, family, and community partnerships to improve the academic achievement and social success of all students. (SLD)

To provide the conditions for a lasting equality of educational opportunity and results, schools should: (1) enter into a partnership with each family for the educational and social development of the child; and (2) lead a cooperative effort involving other agencies and organizations to create an educative community. (RDN)

Describes a cross-national action research project involving 8 schools in the United States and 11 schools in 5 other countries studying family-community-school partnerships and the policies or political contexts that shape, and are shaped by, them. Early results suggest the usefulness of action research in emerging dialog. (SLD)

This progress report of a multi-site project involving eight elementary and middle schools examines the effects of the schools' family involvement program on children's learning; parent and teacher attitudes; school climate; and district, state, and federal policy. The report also examines the ways in which selected policies aid or obstruct school…