U.S. education has experienced many waves of reform in responding to rapid changes in knowledge, technologies, and the economy. It is now widely accepted that, to succeed in the future, all young people must have the opportunity to develop critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, and communication competencies--often referred to as…

The primary source of federal aid to elementary and secondary education is the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)--particularly its Title I-A program, which authorizes federal aid for the education of disadvantaged students. This report provides a brief overview of major provisions of the ESEA. It is organized by title and part of the…

Cunningham and Lachapelle (2011) found that most students have a naive understanding of the field of engineering, mistaking it for the work of technicians or artisans and neglecting to see the contributions engineers make to people's daily lives. In general, public (and teacher) understanding is not much more refined. These misconceptions about…

Research studies have shown the importance of early intervention services for young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and their families. However, most attention has been given to the effectiveness of treatments solely for children with ASDs. Because the family centered practice has been emphasized and supported by many researchers and…

The system of foster care that is currently in operation throughout the United States can present many challenges for counselors as they work with families toward positive outcomes. This article will endeavor to describe common issues and struggles currently facing children and families experiencing foster care and how these difficulties might…

The goal of the Family Science Night (FSN) described in this article was to involve culturally and linguistically diverse families in school life so that students would be more vocal, successful, and interactive in science class. The project would also demonstrate to the students that their teacher valued their input in the classroom. The setting…

A critical component for implementing evidence-based early intervention supports and services is the ability to write family-centered, functional, participation-based outcomes. Participation-based outcome statements that are family-focused center on the desires and needs of the parents or other care providers and are based on their interest in…

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…

A growing body of evidence indicates the critical importance of appropriate supports for children and their families at early ages, as well as the potential for targeted interventions to make meaningful contributions to children's development. Family involvement in the early years of a child's learning and development can serve as a protective…

The purpose of this phenomenological research study was to describe how inmate students incarcerated in an Alabama Department of Correctional Services (ADOC) work release facility, and who are enrolled in a prison-based GED program, perceive the role of education in curtailing criminal activity among prisoners who are released back into society.…

Since 2004, U.S. states have collected information from former students with disabilities about their employment and further education activities in the first year after leaving high school. About one year after they leave school, young adults who had Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) are asked some very important questions: Are they…

This research was carried out with the purpose of identifying how and which risk and protective factors affect academic outcomes. The study explored how different family and individual environmental factors foster academic resilience. The exploratory study took place with a group of six students from a public school in Bogotá, Colombia. The school…

Effective family-school collaboration is essential for promoting students' success at school, but collaborative relationships must be proactively developed and intentionally nurtured. These relationships are particularly critical when children are struggling behaviorally or emotionally. Strategies for building effective relationships are…

Parent involvement (PI) during preschool has been linked with strong pre-literacy skills, acquisition of mathematical skills, well-developed social skills, and positive attitudes toward school. Parents' active involvement in their children's learning is a recommended strategy in engaging families in children's education experiences. The purpose of…

This brief combines original research and policy analysis to examine a key issue that is often overlooked in debates about the proliferation of new technologies, education, and equity: the potential for digital media investments to support a promising learning pathway for children in our nation's increasingly diverse, low-income families. A…