Discusses necessity of educational policy changes to provide citizens with a meaningful voice on school advisory councils. (Author/LD)

An examination of the authority, the structure, and the activities of school councils, as revealed through relevant literature, field visits, workshops, interviews, and other channels open to the Institute for Responsive Education, reveals that most councils have little responsibility or power to affect educational decision-making, and rarely are…

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)

This paper describes and justifies The Schools Reaching Out Project on the basis of research proving that urban families and communities that build stronger connections to the schools are linked to healthy child development, the academic and social success of children in school, better teaching, cost savings and improved educational services and…

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)

The League of Schools Reaching Out is a national project designed to study ways in which a family-community-school collaboration can contribute to school reform. This document reports the results of a 1991 survey of 42 schools belonging to the league. Results concerning strategies and practices of collaboration indicate that: (1) the level of…

The history and goals of the League of Schools Reaching Out, a national program of the Institute for Responsive Education (IRE), is described in this report. The league is IRE's principal national strategy to show how family/community/school partnerships can contribute to school restructuring aimed at increasing the academic and social success of…

Four keynote ideas can help partnerships form between communities and their schools. The first keynote is a new "social contract" for education in each community, based on agreement on values, school objectives, and group roles. The second keynote is the "public good." There exists a breakdown of community, a loss of the sense…

Examines ways to increase the effectiveness of partnerships between schools, families, and communities. Recommends using smarter communication, making the school more welcoming to families and communities, reaching out to reluctant families, enlisting parents and community agencies to help educate children, and helping families obtain support for…

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…

Offers seven recommendations (with comments) for action involving school partnerships with families and communities: Involve and support teachers and principals, adopt democratic principles, reach out to parents, encourage parent activism, provide parents with opportunities for choice and voice, encourage and support increased family…

Notes major developments in a more comprehensive approach to school policy reform: increased parental involvement, school and human service collaboration, and supporting families in ways that encourage learning. Addresses concerns and questions regarding these developments and gives examples of recent state and federal policy legislation. (CJS)

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…

This policy document, directed to school board members, superintendents, and principals, makes recommendations on developing school partnerships with families and communities; discusses the benefits of school partnerships for children, families, schools, teachers, and community agencies; and identifies basic principles underlying successful…