Parent involvement in their children's schooling results in improved student performance, attitudes, and self-concepts, along with decreased dropout, suspension, and absenteeism rates. Increased involvement also provides necessary community feedback to the school, encourages positive parent-teacher-student relations, and creates a more informed…

This report reviews recent initiatives to improve family-school collaboration and communication. The six articles are: (1) "Schools, Families, and Students Get Stronger When Parents and Teachers Take Collaboration into Their Own Hands," which highlights parent-teacher action research projects at eight schools through eight case studies; (2)…

Drawing on experiences in North America, the United Kingdom, and other countries, this book examines the debate over the overall vision for early childhood education. The nature and quality of the United Kingdom's and other countries' culture is questioned in respect to the future it provides for children. The question of who is able to provide a…

As recent trends in education reform and research stress the importance of school-home partnerships, teachers will need preparation for working successfully with parents and other family members. This paper examines teacher preparation in parent involvement for early childhood and K-12 teachers. Surveys of state certification requirements and…

This guide for parents of children with dyslexia begins with case summaries of several children who exhibited reading and other academic problems that were later diagnosed as dyslexia. Misconceptions about dyslexia are refuted, and developmental problems in the areas of auditory perception, visual perception, and language processing are discussed.…

This compiltation of articles provides ideas and solutions for creating and improving family, community, and school partnerships. A broad variety of topics are covered in the 20 articles of this issue, including: (1) ideas to help parents improve the thinking skill of their children; (2) four models of parent involvement developed by the Superior…

Educators face no greater challenge than improving the academic odds for economically disadvantaged, minority children, because they are at the greatest risk for failure. A recent study from the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill uncovered ways in which, despite good intentions,…

This collection of articles on school reform and restructuring is intended to supplement the video series "Every Child Can Succeed," a set of videos presented on public television that includes a demonstration component, a successful-schools component, and an essential-elements component. The 50 articles of the collection describe…

This conference proceedings report focuses on the theme of "lifelong transitions" in the context of strengthening linkages between the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services and parents and families of special needs students throughout the United States. Section 1 includes the following presentations: "Lifelong…

Interviews with 12 principals of K-12 schools in rural Saskatchewan examined practices enacted in 1992-93 to lessen the effects of the farm economic crisis on students. A seven-section literature review describes the financial, personal, family, and community components of the farm crisis in Canada and the United States and provides an overview of…

Providing strategies for parents to use to show their children how to take an active role in their own learning, this book discusses developing successful study skills, how speaking and listening can enhance your children's reading and writing skills, and techniques to help children expand their vocabularies. It focuses on helping children how to…

This book and video are based on a symposium on ways to foster giftedness in children in kindergarten through third grade. Emphasized throughout are DISCOVER projects, federally funded research and development projects to assist Arizona educators in identifying and planning programs for gifted children from diverse cultural, ethnic, and linguistic…

This document, provided here in separate English and Spanish versions, is a collection of informational and instructional sheets for parents of young children, divided into 20 thematic sections. Each of the sections includes information on the topic area, some learning activities, and questions for discussion. The sessions are: (1) "Getting…

Recognizing that approaches to solutions for irresponsible fatherhood may be grounded in either our legal and economic systems or the moral climate--or both, this book focuses on what can be done to strengthen families and improve the lives of children by encouraging responsible fatherhood. The introduction describes a man who behaves responsibly…

This book offers support for middle school teachers and suggestions on how they can help their students be more successful, both in the classroom and in life. Thirteen chapters cover being a teacher, the classroom, students and the challenges they face, communication, teaching, testing, working with parents, staff relations and job stress, public…