Strengthening Parents’ Ability to Provide the Guidance and Support That Matter Most in High School MS Word PDF - The higher the expectations of parents, the steadier their guidance and support, and the greater their sense of partnership with teachers and other staff, the better their child’s chances of academic success. This ECS Policy Brief reviews: (1) Research on the types of parental involvement that positively impact high school students; (2) State and local policies and practices that reflect and reinforce a commitment to parental involvement; and (3) The parental involvement component of No Child Left Behind. (Tim Taylor and Jennifer Dounay, Education Commission of the States, August 2008)...

Parent Involvement: What most impacts student success? - Access related research titles from the ECS Research Studies Database. Links embedded in titles will take you to each study's major findings and recommendations....

2011 MetLife Survey of the American Teacher - Conducted annually, this survey examines the views of teachers, parents and students about the teaching profession, parent and community engagement, and effects of the economy on teaching and learning in schools. Notable findings include parent and community engagement with schools has increased, and there are constructive practices to be shared. The survey raises concerns, however, especially around teacher satisfaction. (Metlife, Inc. March 2012)...

Parent/Teacher Home Visits Creating a Bridge between Parents and Teachers as Co-Educators in Springfield, MA and Seattle, WA - This Issues Brief from NEA Foundation presents a model for parent-teacher home visits based on the experiences of Seattle, Washington and Springfield, Massachusetts, two of the Foundation’s Closing the Achievement Gaps Initiative sites. (The NEA Foundation, March 2012)...

Addressing Achievement Gaps: The Family: America's Smallest School - This article provides highlights from a 2010 ETS symposium addressing the role of family in education. The article discusses the elements of home life that influence education and posits programs that are necessary to strengthen struggling families and build connections between the home and school. (ETS Policy Information Center Educational Testing Service, 2011)...

Work-Family Conflict: Look to Employers and Communities for Solutions - Most American parents are under severe time pressure because they need to work while simultaneously caring for their children and, increasingly, for elderly family members as well. The best hope for struggling working parents lies in voluntary provision of workplace flexibility by employers and more support from community institutions. (The Future of Children/Princeton University, Fall 2011)...

Parent Participation in School-Related Activities by Selected School, Student, and Family Characteristics: 2007 - Table 252 of the U.S. Census Bureau's Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2012. Scroll down the page to Table 252. (U.S. Census Bureau, September 2011)...

Fixing Failing Schools: Building Family and Community Demand for Dramatic Change - This report addresses specific barriers leaders need to tackle when taking action in persistently failing schools, and presents effective strategies for overcoming barriers and building demand for change. (Public Impact, May 2011)...

Teaching the Teachers: Preparing Educators to Engage Families for Student Achievement - This brief describes five core elements necessary for a system of teacher training and professional development in support of family engagement. The core elements discussed are: (1) Standards for family engagement; (2) curriculum that advances the skills, knowledge and attitudes that teachers need to engage families; (3) collaborations among various stakeholders; (4) continuing professional development around family engagement; and (5) evaluation for learning and continuous improvement. (National PTA and Harvard Family Research Project, May 2011) ...

The Family: America's Smallest School - This is the 14th in a series from ETS's "Addressing Achievement Gaps". Today many families are struggling and their struggles contribute to the stubborn achievement gap separating low-income and minority students from their more affluent peers. Education policymakers have focussed on what happens inside the classroom but the impact of family means that school reform alone cannot eliminate the achievement gap. The challenge of helping families prepare their children for academic success was the subject of the 14th symposia. (ETS, February 2011)...

Engaged Families, Effective Pre-K: State Policies that Bolster Student Success - Family members are a child’s first and most important teachers. This Pre-K Now report identifies policies that can enhance family engagement in state pre-k and highlights examples from states that are leading the way. (Deborah Roderick Stark, Pew Center on the States, June 2010)...