Considers the relationship between disability and cultural diversity in a discussion of parent perceptions and participation, disability as a culturally and socially constructed phenomenon, differing ways of dealing with a disability, and differing methods of communication. Recommendations based on research and practice are offered. (DB)

Describes current "adult-centric" nature of research on home-school relations in Britain, and sets out a framework for a research agenda for discussion within a traditionally "child-free" zone. Argues for research on home-school relations that takes a child-centered approach, treating children as competent informants on diverse…

Describes a workshop to provide parents, their elementary school children, and elementary teachers with a common science learning environment. It included 45 activities/demonstrations with directions and learning notes. The primary goal was to promote inquiry through involvement and interaction with each other, discovery, discussion, and thinking…

Applies Hirschman's concepts of satisfaction, voice, and valuing product quality to study parents' attitudes towards three forms of school choice: intradistrict options, interdistrict transfers, and public/private school vouchers. Responses from 1,832 parents reveals three different patterns, including the finding that parents seeking…

An intervention for fifth graders at risk for school problems focused on life-skills training and cross-age teaching of younger students. Parent involvement included two meetings and weekly postcards from their children. Parents reported communication with their child about the program; increased knowledge about life skills, support from school,…

Describes the development of the Luminet network, a community-school network in Winona, Minnesota. Highlights include the technology infrastructure; Internet access; distance learning; the development of local resources; staff development; partnerships; parent involvement; the Virtual School of Winona; and lifelong learning. (LRW)

Suggests parents use catalogs to help children increase reading and math skills. Points out that catalogs link language and print, that children can increase vocabulary through picture naming, and that sorting pictures and classifying objects can increase thinking skills. Suggests that children can practice adding, counting, and comparison…

Reports a case study that examined the effects of parent policymaking within Head Start, focusing on low-income mothers' involvement, opinions, and impact. Interviews and observations indicated that county Head Start policymakers and administrators had difficulty bringing low-income families into the dialog about policies, programs, and…

Overviews the current status of special education programs in Mexico in general and in Ciudad Juarez (Chihuahua) and surrounding rural areas. Two special education administrators employed in the Ciudad Juarez school system discuss problems associated with teacher training and lack of administrative support, and the importance of parental and…

The eight chapters of this theme issue report on studies from 12 countries that focus on the movement toward boundary crossing in education to involve families and communities in education. International studies further the understanding of the effects interventions have in promoting partnerships in education. (SLD)

Describes a South Carolina middle school's efforts to improve student behavior and decrease suspension rates by using a focus-group approach with underachieving seventh graders with behavior problems. Students participated in daily focus-group experiences in which they learned strategies for changing their behavior and improving study skills.…

Describes and evaluates the Parents as Educational Partners Program at a rural elementary school in West Virginia. Team action research efforts demonstrated positive program effects on students, parents, and the community, and identified issues in the program development and educational reform processes. The beneficial effects of parent…

A model professional development school (PDS) serves Celebration, Florida, a planned community built by the Disney Corporation. The K-12 Celebration School resulted from cooperation among the Osceola County School District, Stetson University, and Disney. In this PDS, featuring multiage groupings and individualized instruction, students, staff,…

Studies show a positive correlation between parental involvement and academic achievement, but the involvement of immigrant or poor parents is lower than that of native-born, middle-class parents. Reasons may include socioeconomic status, level of instruction, language fluency, status of immigrant community, years of residency, relations between…

Describes a program that distributed refurbished books to children who might not have a book of their own. Discusses collaboration among school library media specialists, administration, teachers, parents, and community agencies; information literacy standards; empowering elementary students to help less fortunate children; and multiple learning…