May 2007 Announcement
Dear FINE Member,
Here are this month's FINE member updates. Please
feel free to forward this information to your friends and other education colleagues.
This month's FINE announcement focuses on family involvement policy resources
at both the district and federal level. There is emerging evidence that when
districts recognize the importance of family involvement in children’s
education and create programs and policies that support its implementation,
schools are more likely to become environments that encourage families and teachers
to work together for student achievement. In addition to a case study of a district
that has taken on this work, in this announcement you will also find a variety
of federal level policy resources intended to inform the reauthorization of
NCLB—specifically the parent involvement portion of the legislation.
The announcement also includes a list of emerging ideas from HFRP's 2007 American
Education Research Association conference symposium on what the current evaluation
evidence base reveals about family involvement and how this knowledge can inform
policy and practice in the future.
New From FINE
- A Decade
of Urban School Reform
HFRP staff members Abby R. Weiss and Helen Westmoreland describe the evolution
of Boston Public Schools' family and community engagement efforts in a chapter
of the recently released book, A Decade of Urban School Reform: Persistence
and Progress in the Boston Public Schools, published by the Harvard
Education Press. The authors describe how collective community action contributed
to a critical reframing of the district's approach to family and community
engagement over a 10-year period and analyze the key elements of the district's
new plan. The chapter also includes recommendations and lessons learned
for other school districts working to create and implement meaningful family
engagement plans. To learn more about and to purchase the book, go to the
link above.
- Evaluating Family
Involvement Interventions
HFRP’s panel symposium at last month’s annual meeting of the
American Education Research Association explored what the current evaluation
evidence base reveals about family involvement and how this knowledge can
inform policy and practice in the future. To read a summary of the panelists’
presentations at the symposium, "Family Involvement Interventions:
Shining the Spotlight on Evaluation," visit our conference page at
the link below.
New From HFRP
- Key Findings: What Predicts
Participation in OST?
This Fact Sheet summarizes findings and implications from HFRP’s recently
completed Study of Predictors of Participation in Out-of-School Time (OST)
Activities. Among the findings, the research shows that family income and
ethnicity, as well as youth's family lives, are related to whether and how
often youth participate in OST activities and programs.
- Demographic Differences in
OST Participation
This 2-page Research Summary contains a subset of findings contained in
the Fact Sheet and presents key findings on differences in multiple dimensions
of participation in a range of OST activities among youth from varying family
income levels and racial and ethnic groups.
- Related Resource: Out-of School
Time Participation Study
To read more about the OST participation study, please visit the link above.
Policy
Articles & Reports
- School
Community Journal
The current issue of the School Community Journal is now available
online. The issue contains articles providing evidence of the benefits of
family involvement in children’s learning and potential avenues for
that involvement. You can read the issue at the link above.
- 2006
MetLife Survey of the American Teacher: Expectations & Experience
This year’s MetLife Survey examines the perspectives of teachers,
principals, and deans of schools of education with respect to teacher preparation,
satisfaction, and career paths in education. Among its findings, the survey
shows that “half of teachers at both the elementary and secondary school
levels describe parental involvement in their child's education (50%) and
parental understanding of the school curriculum (48%) as inadequate.”
- Writing
to Be Heard: Parents Speak Up and Out About Parents' Participation in Urban
Public High Schools
This report, written by Research For Action and youth researchers of Youth
United for Change and Philadelphia Student Union, demonstrates how parents
want to be involved in urban schools and makes recommendations for how districts
can support this involvement.
Upcoming Events
- Critical Issues
in Urban Special Education
Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Programs in Professional Education
presents a summer institute on what school districts, schools, and communities
can do to improve educational outcomes for children with disabilities and
children at risk—from birth to 5 years of age. The institute will take
place from July 16–20, 2007. For more information or to register, visit
the link above or call 1-800-545-1849.
- 2007
Summer Evaluation Institute
Sponsored by the American Evaluation Association and the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, with support from the National Association of Chronic
Disease Directors, this Evaluation Institute will be held June 11-13, 2007,
in Atlanta, Georgia. Topics range from evaluation planning, sampling, causal
attribution, focus groups, and appreciative inquiry; to reporting, theory
to practice, system dynamics, and cultural competence. To register and learn
more, go to the link above.
Contact Us
If you experience a problem reading this newsletter or have questions and
comments concerning our work, we would love to hear from you. Please send an
email to fine@gse.harvard.edu.
Enjoy!
The FINE Team at Harvard Family Research Project
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