Describes the Home Visit Initiative at Socorro Middle School in Texas. Discusses the purpose of home visits; selection of families for teacher home visits; the visiting team; parents', students', and teachers' reactions to visits, and the results of an evaluation of the home visits, especially the impact on parent volunteerism and schooling,…

Discusses research on the impact of home environment on children's school achievement. Explores positive models of home environments, parent attitudes, parents as teachers, home learning activities/materials, and school preparation. Concludes that though risk factors exist in certain families, parents can nurture high-performing children if…

Describes how to restructure education to better prepare students for the future based on the plan developed at the South Huntington Union Free School District (New York). Topics include the need for a paradigm shift in education; technology as a tool for learning, including interactive courseware; inservice teacher training; the home-school…

To assess the impact of maternal employment on the development of school-age children, several issues must be considered: the necessity of a two-income family, the existence of family-friendly policies at work and at school, the involvement of both parents in parenting, and the child's experience during after-school hours. Contains 30 references…

Reviews Kentucky's efforts to increase family and community involvement in its public school reform. These efforts include a new structure for the traditional elementary school; Family Resource Centers; and school-based decision making. Also shares some parents' perspectives on how these changes are shaping their children's school experiences. (BB)

Business, community, and religious leaders are being urged to join families in providing greater support and participation in solving pressing problems in American education. Ways businesses can become more family friendly include offering flextime or job sharing to allow parents more flexibility with their children and building school-business…

Forty Australian fathers met in discussion groups to explore issues they identified as meaningful and significant to them in their roles as fathers. Topics included role perception and expectations, participation in child rearing, work and family issues, and father-child relationships, all having implications for family educators, teachers, and…

Child poverty in Canada is related to parents' low-wage employment, prevalence of single-parent families, and parents' low educational levels. Discusses how schools can alleviate impacts of child poverty by improving instruction to students with low achievement, strengthening preschool education, and building links with parents and the community.…

Presented are assessment techniques to help improve instruction. Included are the formative assessment techniques observation and questioning, diagnostic interviews, and problem-solving-based investigations and the summative assessment technique of performance-based tasks. Examples of these methods are provided together with at-home activities…

Discusses how technology can fit into a middle school curriculum. Highlights include examples of curriculum development; the Higher Order Thinking Skills program for math; instilling excitement in students; family involvement; the mission statement of the National Middle Schools Association; and a sidebar on early childhood education and school…

Relates the results of a study of four Mexican-American immigrant families and the public school system. Describes communication problems between these families and schools and special fears and barriers that immigrants experience. Interviews found that parents were interested in their children's education but unsure how to contribute. (JB)

Describes a partnership between Albuquerque Technical-Vocational Institute (New Mexico), neighborhood associations, and city government to revitalize a decaying community center by establishing a child care center for children of low-income parents. Describes initial neighborhood resistance to institute expansion and efforts to maintain community…

Relates an interview focusing on the traditional Assiniboine view of the family. Discusses philosophy and religion, economics, and the destruction and reconstruction of the family. Discusses the W. K. Kellogg Foundation's effort to develop a model of family services that will help Assiniboine and other Native-American students succeed in higher…

Provides guidelines for fostering positive teacher-parent relationships. Discusses recent legislative mandates, how parent/teacher relationships are affected by current policy issues promoted by professional education organizations, and methods of constructive communication. Parents and teachers of students with learning disabilities are urged to…

The public continues to oppose allowing students and parents to choose a private school to attend at public expense, but favors government-paid tuition for students choosing to attend any public, private, or religious school. The public assigns local schools passing grades, likes schools' size, favors school prayer, and wants innercity schools to…