Describes an approach used in Ramsey County, Minnesota to improve quality of family day care. (CM)

Examines how child caregivers can shape parents' expectations of child care through written and visual materials. Includes suggestions for writing notes to parents, focusing on characteristics of good parent notes. Provides excerpts from sample notes and lists nine sources of parent/program conflict, including biting and child aggression, outdoor…

Argues that the escalation of differences in the home-school system contributes to the chronicity of school phobias. Discusses the etiology of school phobia, adult mental health implications, some common treatment recommendations, and treatment in the school setting through home-school collaboration. Provides a model for home-school collaboration.…

Discusses guidelines for building principals interested in successful reading leadership: keeping up-to-date with professional literature; working cooperatively with the faculty; encouraging different approaches to learning and assessment; supporting lifetime literacy efforts; and motivating genuine home-school connections. (SR)

Focuses on how the Action Teams in two elementary schools and one middle school in Baltimore (Maryland) used the Framework of Six Types of involvement developed by J. L. Epstein to develop effective school-family-community connections. Nine key insights derived from the study are presented. (SLD)

Describes a Chinese Canadian immigrant family that is encountering difficulties with schooling, demonstrating the complex interrelationship between home literacy, culture, and politics of schooling. Findings suggest that cultural mismatch theory alone cannot explain minority school failure. Rather, multilevel interactions, including cultural…

Examined the relationship between the quality of school, family, and community partnership programs and student performance on Maryland's state-mandated achievement tests. Data from 82 urban elementary schools indicated that the degree to which schools were working to overcome challenges to family and community involvement predicted higher…

Asserts that growth and development of a community begins with communication between families and early childhood centers. Lists specific methods of communication with parents and families including verbal and written methods, as well as suggestions for programs that allow families to get to know each other. Highlights the importance of parental…

Newly arrived Hispanic families have needs differing from established families. School staff should recognize that immigrant children may be highly motivated, families may be uncomfortable with English, and parent-school partnerships are unusual in Hispanic cultures. Schools should encourage parents to work with children in their native language,…

Used a qualitative, exploratory investigation of 24 adult caregivers with low incomes to examine empowerment as an outcome of adult participation in a cooperative preschool program. The program succeeded in helping parents attain and maintain self-sufficiency. Analyzes to what extent empowerment is fostered by adult participation in a cooperative…

Nine mothers of preschool through third grade children from two suburban middle class communities were asked to talk about their children's writing, interactions with their children about writing, expectations for their children as writers, and their own early experiences with writing. (PCB)

Surveys teachers, students, students' parents, and parents of mentally handicapped students for their attitudes regarding the mainstreaming of Moderately-Severely Mentally Handicapped students. Finds that attitudes toward mainstreaming, except those of handicapped students' parents, were generally negative. (RAE)

Establishing effective lines of communication holds benefits for both parents and professionals. Benefits include providing opportunities for reinforcement of classroom lessons in the home and increasing parental sense of involvement. Communication can be facilitated by early and ongoing parent-professional contact, the development of classroom…

This paper delineates the characteristics, diagnosis, and prevalence of cancer and AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) in educational settings, and examines possible educational solutions for these students. The developmental impact of chronic disease is addressed, as are the roles of peers/classmates, teachers, and the family. (DB)

Recognizing the benefits of parental involvement, these suggested activities comprise a starter list for educators interested in encouraging parents to participate in their students' education: training opportunities, homework helplines, school personnel directories, promotion and recognition of parent efforts, casual social affairs, needs and…