In "Natural Allies," Soo Hong offers a paradigm shift in how we think about family engagement with schools. Hong challenges the conventional depiction of parents and teachers as "natural enemies," and shows how, through teachers' initiative and commitment, they can become natural allies instead. Based on a three-year…

This chapter outlines the role of vision-specific service providers for young children with visual impairments. The responsibilities of teachers of students with visual impairments (TVIs) and orientation and mobility (O&M) specialists in special education programming for young children with visual impairments are overviewed. Basic information…

This book examines the educational gaps that multilingual students in rural communities experience. It argues that responsive, successful relationships between schools and multilingual families are a crucial aspect of all educators' work and that no single strategy will work for all families. Rural multilingual family engagement involves building…

Social and emotional learning (SEL) has become popular among many education scholars, policymakers, and practitioners. State and federal education agencies have signaled to educators that they value SEL-related practices and outcomes, and professional organizations' journals are increasingly filled with SEL content. SEL is typically defined as the…

This is the second in a series of reports to be published by the National Alliance in partnership with Public Impact highlighting the experiences of school leaders of color in charter schools across the country. While the impact school leaders have on student performance has been well documented, there has been little attention to how leaders'…

As youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are making plans to attend college, it is more important than ever that families become fully informed about guardianship as well as less-limiting alternatives. This brief defines some of the options and possible ramifications. It also presents special circumstances for consideration,…

During the education emergency, teachers' leadership was indicative of their capacity to stay resilient and innovative in a changed educational environment. This study analyses their capacity to act as leaders and to promote equity in relation to the specific aspects of the French and Italian school systems. A pool of 16 interviews constitutes a…

This report describes the implementation efforts of the first grantees under the Statewide Family Engagement Centers (SFEC) and how they aligned with program priorities. Begun in 2018, SFEC is one of the key U.S. Department of Education programs designed to address disparities in family engagement in schools. The program provides grants to…

This volume serves as a companion to the "Lessons from the First Statewide Family Engagement Centers: Alignment with Federal Priorities and Factors Influencing Implementation" report. The report focuses on the Statewide Family Engagement Centers (SFEC) program and provides insights into its implementation and alignment with federal…

The purpose of this article is to explore family-oriented partnership models to engage families of young children with disabilities in inclusive programmes. Family engagement is important for the education of children of all ages, but it is especially critical for the success of young children with disabilities in inclusive settings. However, the…

A large body of research suggests that families' engagement in their children's education is a crucial factor in promoting school success for children and youth. Family engagement in school is associated with improved academic achievement and reductions in social and behavioral problems. Research also suggests that collaboration between schools…

Strong family involvement in children's education supports positive academic and social-emotional outcomes. Therefore, developing early childhood (EC) professionals' competence in engaging and involving families in their children's education is emphasized across state licensure requirements, personnel preparation standards, and professional…

The purpose of this article is to advance the importance and value of participant-oriented research (POR) at research universities. We highlight a case study of community collaboration as it relates to a strengths-based educational model for students with autism. This evidence-based program's success centers on the inclusion of students, parents,…

Special education teacher collaboration with families is essential to supporting students with disabilities, yet such partnerships often fall short in practice, and teachers report they are not adequately prepared to work with families. In order to prepare competent teachers for working with families, a Family Collaboration Project was…

The purpose of this multi-institutional qualitative study was to understand the educational pathways of Latino males by underscoring the unique role female family members play in their academic pursuits--through the voice of these young men. Findings demonstrate female family members were identified as being primary supporters of their educational…