The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) of the State of Washington recently published a literature review of 20 studies that examined the common characteristics of high-performing schools. These studies include several U.S. Department of Education studies. Their research found that high-performing schools tend to have a combination of many characteristics, which were narrowed into these nine areas: (1) A clear and shared focus; (2) High standards and expectations for all students; (3) Effective school leadership; (4) High levels of collaboration and communication; (5)Curriculum, instruction, and assessments aligned with state standards; (6) Frequent monitoring of teaching and learning; (7) Focused professional development; (8) A supportive learning environment; (9) High levels of parent and community involvement. The purpose of this publication, "A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of School, Family, and Community Connections on Student Achievement," is to examine one of these identified characteristics of high-performing schools: parent and community involvement and its role in impacting on student achievement. Looking Back--A Brief History and Key Studies, 1974-95 is appended. (Contributors to this report include: Amy Averett, Deborah Donnelly, Catherine Jordan, Evangelina Orozco, Joan Buttram, Marilyn Fowler, Margaret Myers, and Lacy Wood. Contains 23 tables.)