The aims of the review are to investigate the impact of: parental support (e.g. the provision of parenting skills training, advice and guidance for parents) on pupil achievement/engagement; family learning (i.e. as a Parent Governor, reading to children, ncouragement and help with homework) on pupil achievement/engagement; and parents' level of education, e.g. the impact of parents with universitylevel education on children's achievement.

This book discusses the vital part that parents play in the academic achievement of students. It describes the many roles that parents assume in the different educational stages of a childs life from infancy to late adolescence and how these roles ultimately impact students academic and future success. The book explores in detail the impact of parent involvement in early childhood education; middle, junior high, high school education; and with at-risk students. Parent involvement is also a critical factor within the school atmosphere. The book discusses in detail how parent involvement affects the schools caliber to promote student achievement, thus contributing to the overall school improvement process. Practical and research-based strategies are introduced under each parent role, thus enabling the reader (whether it be parent, school administrators, or educators) to apply what was read to the real-life context within the relevant settings.

Parent involvement in their childrens education and school life was studied in England through a telephone survey of 2,109 households. Around 1 in 3 parents (29%) felt very involved in their childs school life, and primary school parents were more likely to feel this way than secondary school parents. Mothers were more likely to say that they were very involved than were fathers. Around 72% of all parents agreed that they wanted more involvement, and a third definitely agreed. Among the barriers to involvement, parents cited the competing demands in their lives such as work commitments, demands of other children, childcare difficulties, and lack of time generally. Almost all parents were happy with the schools attitude toward them, with a large majority finding the school welcoming (94%) and willing to involve them (84%). Parents particularly value face-to-face contact with teachers, but a significant minority thought that they would be labeled trouble makers if they talked too much. Parents were generally happy with the quality of written communications coming from schools, although a significant minority (27%) thought that the general information was spoiled by jargon. Many parents were not aware of the labels given to recent educational initiatives, and 35% did not recognize the term Home School Agreement, even though all had been invited to sign one. A Technical Appendix discusses sampling methods, and the survey questionnaire is attached. (Contains 12 figures, 26 tables, and 14 references.) (SLD)

Strengthen programs of family and community engagement to promote equity and increase student success! When schools, families, and communities collaborate and share responsibility for students′ education, more students succeed in school. Based on 30 years of research and fieldwork, the fourth edition of the bestseller School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Your Handbook for Action, presents tools and guidelines to help develop more effective and more equitable programs of family and community engagement. Written by a team of well-known experts, it provides a theory and framework of six types of involvement for action; up-to-date research on school, family, and community collaboration; and new materials for professional development and on-going technical assistance. Readers also will find: Examples of best practices on the six types of involvement from preschools, and elementary, middle, and high schools Checklists, templates, and evaluations to plan goal-linked partnership programs and assess progress CD-ROM with slides and notes for two presentations: A new awareness session to orient colleagues on the major components of a research-based partnership program, and a full One-Day Team Training Workshop to prepare school teams to develop their partnership programs. As a foundational text, this handbook demonstrates a proven approach to implement and sustain inclusive, goal-linked programs of partnership. It shows how a good partnership program is an essential component of good school organization and school improvement for student success. This book will help every district and all schools strengthen and continually improve their programs of family and community engagement.

A comprehensive collection of essays from leading experts on family and community engagement The Wiley Handbook of Family, School, and Community Relationships in Educationbrings together in one comprehensive volume a collection of writings from leading scholars on family and community engagement to provide an authoritative overview of the field. The expert contributors identify the contemporary and future issues related to the intersection of students’ families, schools, and their communities. The Handbook’s chapters are organized to cover the topic from a wide-range of perspectives and vantage points including families, practitioners, policymakers, advocates, as well as researchers. In addition, the Handbook contains writings from several international researchers acknowledging that school, family, and community partnerships is a vital topic for researchers and policymakers worldwide. The contributors explore the essential issues related to the policies and sociopolitical concerns, curriculum and practice, leadership, and the role of families and advocates. This vital resource: Contains a diverse range of topics related to the field Includes information on current research as well as the historical origins Projects the breadth and depth of the field into the future Fills a void in the current literature Offers contributions from leading scholars on family and community engagement Written for faculty and graduate students in education, psychology, and sociology, The Wiley Handbook of Family, School, and Community Relationships in Educationis a comprehensive and authoritative guide to family and community engagement with schools.