A survey of 308 African-American, Hispanic-American, Native-American, and European-American parents found that culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) parents are active in transition planning activities and, in some instances, their level of reported participation surpassed that of European-American parents. In contrast, 52 professionals…

Discusses a family-centered assessment and intervention approach that empowers and enables families in the selection and use of assistive technology by young children with disabilities. It considers key characteristics of parent/professional partnerships; child, family, technology, and service-system domains; and the use of culturally sensitive…

This reprint of an article on early education of an exceptionally intellectually talented sister and brother is preceded by a commentary that stresses that many teachers and administrators fail to appreciate acceleration as part of the complement of options to be used with gifted students. (Contains 4 references.) (CR)

Examined the effect of a school/community relations course on preservice teachers' perceptions of comfort and competence levels in planning and implementing family involvement programs in schools. Pre- and post-course assessments examined students' ability to work with parents. Results indicated that course experiences made significant differences…

This commentary reviews previous articles that discuss major educational approaches for young children with autism from the perspective of a parent with a child with autism. Considerations for parents in selecting an intervention and the need for more intervention information and resources for parents are addressed. (CR)

Presents findings from the School Health Policies and Programs Study 2000 about family and community involvement in school health programs, specifically school health councils and staff development; program promotion; involvement with plans, policies, and activities; participation in community programs; evaluation; and collaboration. Findings show…

We investigated associations between both youth-therapist and parent-therapist alliances and retention, satisfaction, and symptom improvement among 65 youth and their parents receiving usual community-based outpatient mental health services. Parent (but not youth) alliance was significantly related to more frequent family participation, less…

Parents are a child's first and most influential teacher. People hear this truism often, yet nowhere has the author seen it more taken to heart than at Tower Street Elementary School. The school's efforts to form a true partnership with students' families--from involving families in the first day of school, to the principal making home visits, to…

The evidence-based practice movement in the early childhood field has stimulated efforts to synthesize and disseminate research findings related to direct services, such as child interventions and classroom teaching practices. This article describes the need to use an evidence-based process to make decisions about indirect services, specifically…

This study provides information about prevention and control practices in intervention and comparison secondary schools 2 years after the start-up of the Texas Tobacco Prevention Initiative. The intervention, which was funded through the Texas Department of State Health Services, consisted of guidance, training, technical assistance, and…

Students who succeeded in school are almost always supported by their families, while other students struggle without support from home. For a school to develop a partnership program involving all parents in ways that increase student success requires new ways of thinking about family and community involvement. All schools need a purposeful,…

"Say Yes First--To Rural Youth and Family Alcohol/Drug Prevention" (SYF) was a 5-year, federally-funded U.S.D.H.H.S. Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) project that involved 859 children in the class of the year 2000. The children in four rural school districts were followed from Grade 4 to Grade 8 from 1991 to 1996. Initial results in a…

Premature autonomy describes a developmental dynamic where parents of high-risk adolescents reduce their involvement and guidance when confronted with challenges of problem behaviour and the influence of deviant friendships. This dynamic was tested on the sample of Oregon Youth Study boys (N=206), whose family management practices and friendships…

This study linked gender, family help, and grade level to 5 features of homework management reported by 238 rural middle school students. The 5 features studied were setting an appropriate work environment; managing time; and controlling attention, motivation, and potentially interfering emotions. No significant differences were found across grade…

The article reports from a qualitative study of family group conferencing in Wales. Family group conferences are meetings of extended family networks that are convened in order to plan for a child's care and welfare. They are an attempt to enable families to have a greater say in welfare decisions and often particularly encourage children's…