"Scaling Up School and Community Partnerships: The Community Schools Strategy" builds on both practice and research to describe the what, why, and how of system-wide expansion of community schools. The guide is written for a wide audience and for communities at different points in planning for, implementing, and sustaining a community…

In educational settings, where decisions must regularly be made related to what type and focus of services to provide, having a parent/caregiver advocate in their corner can be very important to children who are deaf or hard of hearing. In this article, the author presents how to best support families and caregivers who are disconnected,…

This EEF guidance report reviews the best available research to offer schools and teachers four recommendations to support parental engagement in children's learning. Parents play a crucial role in supporting their children's learning, and levels of parental engagement are consistently associated with better academic outcomes. Evidence from our…

Special education professionals can play a critical role in enhancing the quality of life not only for a child with a disability but also for that child's entire family. To realize this beneficial impact on the child's family, professionals must operate with these assumptions: (1) Special education professionals must acknowledge that they have a…

Several suggested activities from the National Parent Teacher Association are suggested for involving parents in education. Categories discussed include: parents as participants in their children's education; parents as school volunteers and supporters; and parents as participants in decision making. (CB)

The role of parents in school-based management is extremely important. All public schools in North Carolina are required to have school-improvement teams, which are usually composed of the principal, teachers, and parents. This handbook was designed to help parents and principals understand and define the parents' role on the school-improvement…

This self-help manual contains advice for parents who want to improve the schools their children attend by influencing school planning, policy, and administrative practices. The first step in improving schools is deciding whether a new group is necessary. If it is, parents must connect with other parents and then hold a first meeting at which…

This book offers suggestions on what role parents should assume from the time their youngster starts youth sports through recruitment by college coaches. It offers suggestions not only to the parents of gifted athletes but also to parents who have children of average athletic ability. It provides helpful information about parenting young athletes…

The article describes accomplishments of an advisory panel for exceptional students in one Florida school district. The process of identifying and resolving problems is described in the context of specific issues such as placement of minority students in special education, graduation procedures, and evaluation of the individualized education…

A set of principles that focus on issues concerning implementation of a successful dropout prevention program is presented by a consortium of national educational organizations. The key elements of this "blueprint" consider local adaptations and effective results among various programs. The booklet discusses seven principles for dropout…

Collaborative ventures between families and schools can result in children being successful both academically and in life (Henderson & Berla, 1994; Jackson & Davis, 2000; Mapp, 1997). The most successful predictor of student achievement is an encouraging home environment, high expectations from parents, and parental involvement (Epstein, 2001;…

This report presents a guide to involving parents, families, and the community in education. It explains that student achievement increases, schools improve, and parent and community involvement thrives when: (1) parents, families, and community members play an integral role in helping students learn at all grade levels; (2) communication between…

To meet the developmental needs of young adolescents, schools should provide opportunities for diversity, self-exploration, participation in decision making, positive social interactions, physical activity, and success and achievement; they must also provide structure and clear limits. (JD)

The parents' guide in English and Spanish versions, offers a synthesis of the Mid-Continent Regional Educational Laboratory's (McRel) "A+chieving Excellence," a 480-page manual on educational decision-making and management. Four sections examine four broad areas in which policies must be established for improving student achievement--efficiency,…

The Community Advisory Committee (CAC) is a strategy to involve the community in active participation in the development, amendment, and review of the local plan for special education. The CAC originated under the design of the California Master Plan for Special Education. The CAC brings together and supports parents and professionals, regular and…