This article discusses the findings from a mixed-method study examining the relationship between social resources and levels of parent involvement in state-funded preschool programs in Illinois. Using survey data from the Illinois Birth to Five Evaluation (n = 843) and interviews with ten preschool administrators who completed the survey, the…

According to the author, working collaboratively with every parent in her class has not always been all sunshine and kittens. Creating a successful relationship has always been her goal. There are times that she wants to snatch their cell phones away from their ears and smash them against a wall when they are in the middle of a conference. But for…

This report calls upon Michigan's state leaders to quickly develop and implement solution-based approaches to both support the long-term recovery of student learning, as well as address the longstanding inequities and underperformance that have plagued Michigan's education system for decades. Building upon last year's recommendations, which called…

The early childhood sector has in recent times engaged in processes of professionalisation. The expectations associated with engagement in professional relationships is one element of such processes. Another element is an expectation of ethical practice. The paper considers how particular representations of relationships and representations of…

In the 21st century, school libraries are under pressure to innovate. Library budgets are frequently slashed as districts struggle with limited fiscal resources, while library personnel are increasingly expected to provide students with resources they need to help them pass high stakes tests. In an effort to meet student needs with limited…

School change has been at center of school reform, and many schools have moved to meet the needs of students in various areas. In many instances, there has been only one addition to the school system to serve as the element of school change. Today's school communities need a deeper understanding not only of what research says about school change,…

In this paper I investigate whether students self-select into the U.S. for-profit colleges or whether the choice of for-profit sector is accidental or due to the reasons external to the students (geographic exposure to for-profit providers, tuition pricing, or random circumstances). The main student-level data samples come from the National…

Technology today is poised to usher in the best of times. Exploring what other districts do highlights the common themes as well as the unique challenges. Three very different districts in Silicon Valley--Portola Valley School District, Campbell Union School District and San Jose Unified School District--explain the strategies they use to enhance…

This grounded theory study examined how 20 newly divorced, nonresidential fathers manage their fatherhood identities. The theory created from this study proposes that fathers' perceptions of (a) father-child relationships, (b) how their children's fiscal needs are met, and (c) barriers to their physical interactions with their children influence…

The rising prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) warrants a greater level of clinical attention to best treat those with ASD. The characteristics of ASD lead to impairment for both the child with the disorder and his/her family. To effectively treat children with ASD, parents need to be included in intervention efforts. Research suggests…

This article examines findings on key challenges of school-parent relations in Norway. The review is based on recent large-scale studies on several issues, including formalized school-parent cooperation, parental involvement in the pedagogical discourse, and teacher perspectives on the parents' role in the school community. Findings suggest a…

The authors examine variation in employed fathers' time with children ages 0 to 14 years, using time use surveys from the United States (2003), Germany (2001), Norway (2000), and the United Kingdom (2000). They examine levels of father involvement and mechanisms associated involvement on both weekdays (N = 4,192) and weekends (N = 3,024). They…

The purpose of this article is to provide specific guidelines for child-centered play therapists to set behavioral outcome goals to effectively work with families and to meet the demands for accountability in the managed care environment. The child-centered play therapy orientation is the most widely practiced approach among play therapists who…

Building a strong partnership with students' families will help the student succeed. At Parents for Public Schools, the author and her staff work to bring parents and guardians into a positive relationship with their children's teachers and schools, and they have gathered feedback from parents about how they think that can happen. This article…

The effect of parental involvement on achievement has received a significant amount of research attention in the general student population, but surprisingly very little research has been conducted in this area for students with disabilities. This study investigated the association between parental involvement (both at home and at school) and…