Engaging Parents and the Community in Schools

When families live unmoored from their community, children more than ever need significant adults to anchor them.

A school volunteer makes a case for more substantive participation for parents.

From better safety to more funding, unexpected benefits—including higher performance—resulted when schools engaged the community.

The most promising practice for boosting school performance is help at home rather than parental participation at school, this research says.

When educators are out of touch with parents, remedies hinge on authenticity and listening.

How Verona, Wisconsin, weathered the turbulence that resulted when the community split over learning goals.

A program that promotes partnerships can invite resources into your school.

Report cards for teachers shed light on what parents think about their schools.

Ten tactics to transform disinterested parents into partners.

The PTA describes the hallmarks of effective parent engagement.

With 1,400 students representing 12 ethnic groups, this Oakland, California, school focused on parents' uppermost concern—reading.

Senior citizens are a crucial—and largely untapped—resource for school systems.

When older citizens read to kids at school, they become advocates for children.

A public relations campaign and active participation differ as a canned speech does from a conversation.

A school-to-work program in Hawaii helps young people rediscover their roots.

Counting the number of books their students read each week was disheartening until the school adopted Operation Just Read.

Vermont workshops explain to parents the changing language of mathematics.

A community steeped in Inuit tradition, but wired to the world.

Citizens in this coal-mining town have enriched their lives with up-to-speed technology.

Vendors, students, parents, and technology specialists gathered to learn something new.

The Relevance Counts Institute grounds teachers in business practices.

Workers learn to read and write for their families in this adult literacy program.