Achieving equity in education--that is, ensuring every student has the resources and tools they need to succeed--has become a key issue for the nation's schools. Equity does not apply just to classroom learning, however; it matters in afterschool, summer, and other out-of-school-time (OST) programs, too. Yet while research on equity in the OST…

Community schools are an evidence-based strategy to advance a "whole child" approach to education by offering integrated student supports (e.g., health care or housing assistance), expanded and enriched learning time, family and community engagement, and collaborative leadership and practices. This brief examines how local government and…

Although research suggests various effective interventions to curb obesity, there remains a gap between current evidence and sustainable practice in schools and communities. School settings present a logical platform for this work, since children spend much of their time in school. This article describes the Building Healthy Schools Program, a…

The institutions of a neighborhood are vital to its health and economic strength, and public schools are one of the most important shared institutions. They function not only as centers for providing education but also as hubs for communities to organize a range of supports and opportunities for children and their families. Reuben Jacobson's…

Parent engagement coordinators provide the foundation for family engagement by modeling shared leadership, facilitating trust, and creating space to build partnerships with parents and schools. The Children's Aid Society (CAS) partnered with the New York City Department of Education, schools, and the community to provide resources and supports to…

Despite a growing literature on the value of family involvement for students with disabilities, there are ongoing misunderstandings about the reasons why culturally and linguistically diverse families of students with disabilities might be less involved with their child at school than other families. This article describes a project conducted with…

Title I schools that serve a large population of low-income students often view families through the lens of an outdated paradigm of family engagement in education, assuming parents are mostly uneducated, ill informed, and much in need of training and support to be good parents. "Comunitario" projects in the Rio Grande Valley of south…

The benefits of family involvement in the education of children with disabilities are well documented. Few teacher education programs, however, implement specific strategies for encouraging interactions between families and those preparing to be teachers. The University of South Florida St. Petersburg and the local membership of a professional…

Two PTAs sponsored events that capitalized on Halloween themes, engaged their communities in fall celebrations, and were safe, wholesome, and fun. With help from local volunteers, one school turned its gymnasium into a 19th-century British town with a fall/Halloween theme. Another PTA hosted a carnival, Spooktacular, that involved community…

Describes an early stage intervention program for delinquent youths consisting of three integral parts: working with children through camping; family therapy; and working with the children's school. The long-term follow-up clearly indicates an overall positive trend in support of the program. (Author)

This discussion of issues in the mentoring of African-American youth defines mentoring, identifies elements of successful mentoring, stresses the importance of recognizing existing family and community assets, and urges parental involvement and a program philosophy which affirms the value of resiliency in children surviving in difficult…

Described in this report is the Saturday Afternoon Free respite care program for moderately to severely handicapped children operated under the auspices of the Idaho State University (ISU) College of Education. In service for 4 years, it has been evaluated by parents and student participants as excellent. It was developed in response to the need…

This compilation of publications from the School-Linked Service Integration Research Project focuses on integrated services and includes the following papers: (1) "New Community Schools: Issues for Families in Three Streams of Reform" (Wayne Sailor), describes issues in special education reform, general education reform, and school/health services…

Designed to help parents and teachers think beyond the ordinary ways in which parent-family involvement in education is considered and approached, this book describes 34 operational parent-family involvement programs in preschools and in elementary, middle, and high schools. It also describes programs run by school districts and communities. Among…