Describes Spokane (Washington) Public Schools' successful volunteer program that has nearly 1,300 residents (parents, retired persons, and college students) working 50,000 hours yearly in 42 schools. Provides administrators with tips on gaining school support, organizing effectively (including hiring and training a full-time coordinator), and…

In response to overwhelming demand, Poland (Ohio) Schools proposed a pilot program to demonstrate that people wanted preschool and day care services that could pay for themselves. The program integrated early childhood programs with the regular school curriculum to stimulate children's interest in art, music, health, and sciences and develop motor…

Provides a brief account of an instance in which a parent participated as a full member of the school district negotiation team. (IRT)

To get more parents, expecially fathers, involved in school activities, a Southboro (Massachusetts) elementary school put on a successful pancake breakfast that not only attracted many parents but also made money. (RW)

Dissatisfied with their school's attendance rate, an Iowa high school formed a committee to explore the problem and draft a strong, well-defined policy to communicate expectations. The committee also worked with the school community and parents to change students' attitudes toward school attendance. (MLH)

Urges that schools mount public relations programs that emphasize the accomplishments of the schools and give brief accounts of some successful programs. (IRT)

Looks at evaluations of the program to frame a discussion of the troubled history of Head Start and its current favored position. (IRT)

Sex education in Beaverton (Oregon) is provided through a volunteer, after-school program set up and administered by parents. This article discusses the program's controversial origins and its present success. (WD)

Describes the development and implementation of a metaphorical (nonenforceable) family contract that sets forth parental responsibilities for assisting the public schools in the education of their children. Contract involves the home environment, use of the out-of-school time, and parent involvement with schooling. Discusses issues related to the…

Controversy broke out when a Montgomery County, Maryland, school board member attempted to make homework compulsory. Successful board policies on homework are briefly discussed. (IRT)

Outlines arguments in favor of school-based management, which decentralizes a district's decision making so that parents, teachers, and administrators have more control over the curriculum and budget of individual schools. (IRT)

Describes the efforts of the Tacoma, Washington, school system to boost student achievement. The district implemented high standards and promoted parent involvement. Other features included a staff-training program, a revamped summer-school program, and a cooperative program with local colleges and universities. (LMI)

A computer-based curriculum program called Computers Helping Instruction and Learning Development (Project CHILD) has been tested in 82 classrooms in 10 elementary schools in Okaloosa County, Florida. As part of a sixth-grade follow-up study, students in Project CHILD had a B average in math and language arts versus a C average for students in a…

Named for Baltimore's Memorial Stadium, the Stadium School is a small charter school that combines project-based instruction with activities such as community gardening. Despite its popularity, this middle school has an uncertain future. Established in 1993, the school will close unless students' standardized test scores improve this year. (MLH)