A new national PTA kit, "Math Matters; Kids Are Counting on You," can help all parents make a difference in their children's education. Suggested home activities include doubling cookie recipes, surveying and graphing family ice cream flavor preferences, filling in football "stat" charts, and other tasks easily performed on a…

Block parent programs that provide homes where children can seek help in case of emergencies as they go to and from school are described. Programs in Phoenix (Arizona), Detroit (Michigan), and the states of Oregon and Kansas, emphasize cooperation with local law enforcement agencies. (PP)

The Partners in Learning Take Home Computer Program, which began in New Mexico in 1989 to extend the learning environment into the home, distributes 200 computers to families. Results of the program include a 90% rise in parent to school contact; parental involvement in schoolwork; and increases in reading and math scores. (JMV)

Describes different home-schooling options available to children with disabilities. Services of a special-education consultant are reviewed, along with services of the Home School Legal Defense Association, an umbrella school that provides consulting services to home-schooling families, and a public school home-instruction program. (CR)

Describes a home-based family literacy intervention with a mother and her four children. Highlights the importance of motivation and family involvement in developing literacy skills.(SR)

Describes a science program that encourages elementary students and their families to participate in hands-on science activities at home. The program was designed to strengthen links between home and school and to foster communication between parents and children. Currently 15 schools in Nova Scotia involving 30 classrooms participate in the…

The Blondin family undertook a 9-month educational journey across the United States that revolved around a unique learning experience incorporating current technology. The family's three children were enrolled in Northwest Academy in northern Michigan, a science- and technology-based public academy for grades 6 through 12 that supported their plan…

Describes a program to improve problem-solving skills of children by incorporating parents as partners in cooperative learning experiences with the children. Research results indicate that students working with parental partners displayed higher problem-solving ability on posttests than those not working with partners. (MDH)