Framework for Parent Involvement:

Research shows that parent involvement in children’s’ education significantly improves academic achievement. Dr. Joyce Epstein, of Johns Hopkins University, describes six key ways that parents, communities, and schools can collaborate to foster positive student outcomes and success in later life:communication, decision-making, community involvement, learning at home (parents as co-teachers), volunteering, and parenting skills.Working together to improve each type of involvement will help to build strong and meaningful partnerships to meet the unique needs of the families, schools, and communities involved. For more information about Dr. Joyce Epstein’s model, and suggestions and activities for building strong partnerships, go to:

National Network of Partnership Schools
Established atJohnsHopkinsUniversityin 1996, NNPS invites schools, districts, states, and organizations to join together and use research-based approaches to organize and sustain excellent programs of family and community involvement that will increase student success in school.

National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education
At NCPIE, our mission is simple: to advocate the involvement of parents and families in their children's education, and to foster relationships between home, school, and community to enhance the education of all our nation's young people.

The Missing Piece of the Proficiency Puzzle
Recommendations for Involving Families and Community in Improving Student Achievement Final Report by the Commissioner's Parents Advisory Council.

Parents+and+Families/The+Missing+Piece+of+the+Proficiency+Puzzle.htm

TheIRISCenter
TheIRISCenteroffers special education resources and materials- validated instructional strategies, research-to-practice strategies, best practice ...

Educating Our Children Together: A Sourcebook for Effective Family-School-Community Partnerships
Susanne Carter and Consortium for Appropriate Dispute Resolution (CADRE)

The National Center for Family and Community Connections with Schoolsbridges research and practice – linking peoplewith research-based information and resources that they can use to effectively connect schools, families and communities.

PTA’s National Standards for Family-School Partnerships

Standard 1: Welcoming all families into the school community—Families are active participants in the life of the school, and feel welcomed, valued, and connected to each other, to school staff, and to what students are learning and doing in class.

Standard 2: Communicating effectively—Families and school staff engage in regular, two-way, meaningful communication about student learning.

Standard 3: Supporting student success—Families and school staff continuously collaborate to support students’ learning and healthy development both at home and at school, and have regular opportunities to strengthen their knowledge and skills to do so effectively.

Standard 4: Speaking up for every child—Families are empowered to be advocates for their own and other children, to ensure that students are treated fairly and have access to learning opportunities that will support their success.

Standard 5: Sharing power—Families and school staff are equal partners in decisions that affect children and families and together inform, influence, and create policies, practices, and programs.

Standard 6: Collaborating with community—Families and school staff collaborate with community members to connect students, families, and staff to expanded learning opportunities, community services, and civic participation.

PTA National Standards for Family-School Partnerships