Background: Since the COVID-19 pandemic, American students have demonstrated substantial losses in achievement (Amplify, 2021; Domingue et al., 2021; Dorn et al., 2020; Storey & Zhang, 2023), while chronic absenteeism doubled after the pandemic, with the largest increase among low-income students (Chang et al., 2022; Dorn et al., 2021). Among…

The Community Math Night Facilitators' Toolkit is a detailed resource for elementary school educators to plan and implement a Community Math Night event. Community Math Nights use interactive math activities to engage families in building positive math attitudes, facilitate their participation in children's learning in grades K-5, and build a…

This workbook is a companion to the "Community Math Night Facilitators' Toolkit. REL 2022-120" (ED615952), a comprehensive resource for elementary school educators to plan and implement a Community Math Night. A Community Math Night brings together educators, students, and their families to: (1) learn about, talk about, and have fun with…

A Family Geography Night (FGN) kit can be used to bring families together, teach about the world, give parents the opportunity to share their beliefs, and participate in the educational system while having fun! Geography is an essential element of twenty-first-century education. More than just maps, geography is the interaction of cultures,…

The paper begins with a challenge, namely: How do we work with families and communities to co-create the next generation of family and community engagement, providing equitable learning pathways--both in and out of school and from birth to young adulthood--that will enable all children to be successful in the 21st century? Exploring what it takes…

This article sought to identify factors related to high school completion rates and college enrollment among Hispanic students. Hispanic students were found to have high attrition rates in institutions of higher education. Implications for the development and implementation of retention programs for Hispanic high school students, such as…

Making Connections was the Annie E. Casey Foundation's signature place-based, community-change initiative of the 2000s. It sought to build on previous work and launch an effort focused firmly on the framework of family strengthening. The Foundation started Making Connections in 22 places, focusing eventually on first 10, then seven sites. It…

As colleges and universities adjust to the changing relationship between today's students and their families, the benefits of providing parent services become increasingly clear. Parents have a stake in their student's education because of the financial and personal investment they are making. Today's young adults are in frequent contact--50…

The concept of a new family coordinator (someone to orient new families to the local 4-H programs and serve as a contact person for them) is examined. The training of this coordinator, the "New Family Handbook," and benefits of this new system are discussed. (CT)

Because of limited resources and rising populations, more intentional relationships among university departments are needed to achieve common goals, especially in parent programming. Article focuses on novel partnering opportunities for student affairs and institutional advancement departments. (GCP)

Highlights the themes of this special issues of "New Direction for Student Services," providing a rationale and strategy for working with parents of college students. Suggests titles for further research. (GCP)

This review addresses issues related to parental involvement in their children's education, and what can be done to increase parent participation in education. Findings from the review of research on parental and familial involvement point to the recurring theme that parental involvement is a necessity in education. Research has shown that schools…

The changing expectations of the families of today's college students may clash with institution's traditional philosophies of parental involvement. Article examines familial expectations and recommends strategies for developing appropriate channels for involvement. (Contains 20 references and 4 tables.) (GCP)

This handbook, in English and Spanish, is designed for educators who want to develop meaningful parent and community involvement in public education in culturally and linguistically diverse communities. The advice of leaders of Hispanic, African American, Native American, and Asian communities is incorporated into five strategies to help develop…

Discusses how caring for the parents and families of students is a significant component of overall campus relations. Proposes that presidents must demonstrate a personal and professional commitment to orientation programs, related ongoing initiatives, and future ideas if the campus is to be transformed in a manner that is collaborative and…