Investigated home-school alignment for primary grade mathematics reform. Three studies found that parents endorsed many reform classroom practices; in a comparison of word-problem scaffolding, parents gave more direct forms of assistance than did teachers; a pilot program to inform parents was effective--children whose parents participated scored…

Examined the academic success of children from farm and non-farm families in the rural midwest United States, with a focus on community integration as an important factor for academic achievement. Found that children from farm families showed the highest levels of academic performance, owing largely to the high levels of parental involvement and…

Notes that successful inclusion of children with chronic conditions in child-care facilities requires planning and care. Outlines what chronic conditions are and what they mean for the child and his or her family, the importance of working with the family to create a family-centered program, and individualizing a program to meet a child's needs.…

Predominantly black elementary and secondary school students (N=33), their parents, and their tutors completed surveys to determine their perceptions of a church-sponsored after-school tutoring program. Results showed significant differences between students and parents and students and tutors on some items, though in general all three groups were…

The school-to-work movement enlists employers as partners in the education process. The paper describes the 1994 School to Work Opportunities Act and discusses the importance of parent involvement. Includes a sidebar on the Lockport (New York) education summit. (SM)

This article describes policy provisions supporting educational services for children with disabilities in British Columbia. It presents an overview of present policy and reviews the efficacy of current practice, particularly in the area of human resources, financial resources, early intervention, Individualized Education Programs, and parental…

Analysis of a state-wide survey and in-depth interviews with 15 home school families in Oregon reveals that the impetus for home schooling may be tied to the effects of contemporary culture on personal belief. Characteristics of religious and New Age home school families are discussed. (BJV)

Overviews the history of Service Volunteered for All (Servol), an organization founded in 1970 in Trinidad and Tobago by Gerard Pantin, a Catholic priest. The organization has evolved into 2 national networks of 150 preschools, 40 life centers for teenage boys and girls, training programs for preschool teachers, and community programs aimed at…

Examines aspects of European day care that differentiate it from day care services on other continents, focusing on differences between child development and schooling, the distinction between infants and preschoolers, the place of family settings, professional versus parent perspectives, parents involvement, cultural diversity, decentralization,…

In 1990, Congress charged OERI with evaluating the nation's school-reform efforts. Representative planners subsequently called for research proposals in systemic reform, school-based management, uses of time, student assessment, curriculum reform, educator professionalism, school-to-work transition, early childhood education, parent and community…

Explains and analyzes open-enrollment plans, current open-enrollment legislation, and the Omaha (Nebraska) School District's attempt to balance goals of integration and open enrollment. Provides recommendations for educational and legislative reform in the area of public school choice. (198 references) (MLF)

Ethnographic data were used to address the challenge of parent-professional interaction in the cross-cultural context of 12 Spanish-speaking Puerto Rican American families from low income backgrounds with learning-disabled or mildly mentally retarded children in special education. Illustrations from parent conferences show how parent participation…

Argues that school choice plans should be limited to public schools. A system of controlled choice overcomes many problems associated with school choice. District 4 of the New York City public schools offers an example of how greater choice for parents has reinvigorated innercity schools. (SLD)

Examines focus group methodology as a fundamental first step in planning a school and as a data gathering strategy for design of a community survey. The case study of the collaborative effort between two districts and the University of Hartford illustrates the value of focus groups. (SLD)

A graduate course at the University of New Hampshire is intended to help special educators of young children to develop communication and collaboration skills. Program evaluation has indicated that attitudes of professionals and their interactions with parents were changed in the direction of greater empathy, increased respect, and more…