Bahamian women often carry the bulk of responsibility for family well-being, particularly in the domain of parenting. This ethnographic study investigated the role of Bahamian mothers and their perceptions of parenting. Face-to-face qualitative interviews, comprised of a series of open-ended questions, were conducted with 18 mothers on the islands…

This review examines ways in which institutions and agencies act as barriers to paternal involvement, particularly for unmarried fathers and fathers of color. These fathers are frequently portrayed as unwilling, uninterested parents who must be forced by the government to take responsibility for their children, and this perspective lays the…

The mission of the National Center on Fathers and Families (NCOFF) is to improve the life chances and well-being of children and the efficacy of families by facilitating the positive involvement of fathers. Seven core learnings, developed in 1994, are at the heart of NCOFF's agenda for research, practice, and policy, and a framework for the field.…

The quantity and nature of parent-child verbal interactions, reading to and with children, and the availability and use of reading materials at home are factors that influence literacy development. Since many parents of first-grade children are not taking advantage of opportunities at home to engage their children in appropriate activities to…

Based on the view that the primary caregivers for infants and toddlers are their own best resource for understanding and caring for their child and that parenting is a lifelong learning process, this book provides information and tools to help caregivers build a strong foundation for their child's development. The book, both in English and…

The Illinois Early Learning Project (IEL) is funded by the Illinois State Board of Education to provide information resources on early learning and training related to implementing the Illinois Early Learning Standards for parents and for early childhood personnel in all settings. The IEL tip sheets offer suggestions to parents and early childhood…

This monograph provides an overview of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), its regulations, and relevant case law regarding parentally-placed students with disabilities in private schools. Following a brief review of early judicial decisions and the IDEA regulations concerning parental placements, a summary of current IDEA…

This study examined the efficacy of parents roles as active and discerning members of their childrens Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) through the use of a large randomly selected sample with a high respondent rate. Families were selected from the special education roster in an urban district. Of the 95 families selected, 83 parents completed…

This annotated bibliography identifies approximately 70 research studies concerned with the role of parent/family involvement in student success that were published during the last decade. Studies are grouped into three related areas: studies that evaluate the effectiveness of school-based programs and interventions intended to promote…

Four manuals on implementing the Partners Respite Model, which provides respite care for children with disabilities or chronic illnesses, comprise this document. The Community Planning Manual offers a step-by-step guide to replication of the Partners Respite Model and is divided into sections on developing the Partners program, implementing the…

This collection of essays addresses the particular qualities of character education in Catholic schools. The focus of the essays is on developing Christian character in students and the envisionment of the Catholic school graduate as a Christ-like person. Specific suggestions are made for early childhood, middle school, and secondary school…

This report summarizes findings from two national opinion surveys that looked at issues surrounding parental involvement in schools. One survey assessed the views of 1,000 public school teachers; the other examined the views of 1,220 parents of children currently in public school. The focus of the survey was to find out what parents and teachers…

Based on information from the School Transition Study, sponsored by the MacArthur Network on Successful Pathways through Middle Childhood, this Spanish-language Early Childhood Digest focuses on enhancing communication between parents and the school. The digest discusses the importance of parents' level of comfort at school and in talking to…

This brochure for parents, in English- and Spanish-language versions, provides facts about infants' brains and offers suggestions for parents to help their baby's development by providing experiences to stimulate neural development. The facts are: (1) a baby's brain needs many different experiences to be nourished, such as being talked or sung to…

This report provides data on the current educational condition of Hispanics from early childhood through graduate and professional education. It also offers strategies for multiple sectors, parents, schools, communities, the private sector, and the government, to improve Hispanic educational achievement. The majority of policy decisions on…