The Harvard Family Research Project separated from the Harvard Graduate School of Education to become the Global Family Research Project as of January 1, 2017. It is no longer affiliated with Harvard University.
FINE Newsletter Archive
The FINE Newsletter shares the newest and best family involvement research and resources from HFRP and other field leaders. Visit our subscription center to receive the FINE Newsletter via email.
Click on a year to access additional issues; select a title to view the full newsletter.
November FINE Newsletter: Family Engagement as a Shared Responsibility
This month’s FINE Newsletter focuses on family engagement as a shared responsibility involving families, communities, and schools. M. Elena Lopez, Helen Westmoreland, and Heidi Rosenberg frame the issue in an HFRP Commentary article that explores how families, communities, and schools share responsibility for children’s learning and the complementary roles they play in helping to promote student achievement. We include an article from the Federal Way school district in Washington illustrating how a parent, school principal, and family advocate shared responsibility for creating a solution to school problem. The issue’s theme also appears in a teaching case showing how a mother used a community organization to work with the school after her son was suspended. In addition, we re-introduce our recent policy brief, Seeing is Believing, with a newly developed logic model tool to guide school districts and other organizations in developing systemic family engagement policies and programs. This issue also highlights our policy-related work, compiled into a newly constructed section of our website.
Volume 1, Issue 3, August 2009August FINE Newsletter: Family Involvement and Out-of-School Time
This month's FINE Newsletter focuses on complementary learning connections between families and out-of-school time (OST) programs. Helen Westmoreland frames the issue in an HFRP Commentary article that explores how families and nonschool settings can work together to promote student achievement under a new, broader definition of family involvement. We also share a teaching case about the roles that community organizations, school staff, and family members play in one child's OST learning. In addition, articles from the Nebraska State Parental Information and Resource Center and Citizen Schools in Texas offer first-hand glimpses into how two programs are building connections between families and nonschool supports. As always, you will also find our comprehensive listing of new family involvement articles, news, and resources.
Volume I, Issue 2, May 2009May FINE Newsletter: Family Involvement Policy
This month's FINE Newsletter focuses on family involvement policy. Heather Weiss and Elena Lopez frame the issue in an HFRP Commentary article that explores a broader definition of family engagement. Three new research reports from HFRP explore the implications of family involvement policy, while a new tool from HFRP offers standardized data collection instruments for evaluating family involvement efforts. In addition, articles from the Kansas and Colorado Parental Information and Resource Centers (PIRCS) shed light on family involvement work in the field. We also offer you a comprehensive listing of new family involvement articles, news, resources, and events.
Volume I, Issue 1, January 2009January FINE Newsletter: Home–School Communication
In this month's newly redesigned and expanded FINE Newsletter, three field leaders bring their unique insights and perspectives to this issue's theme: home–school communication. Duke University's JoBeth Allen shares her thoughts about communication among diverse schools and families in a Guest Commentary, while Amy Schulting describes the effects of a home visiting program on the transition to kindergarten. Carrie Rose reflects on how another home visit project increases parent–teacher interaction to support the learning of children across grade levels. We also offer you a set of tip sheets for parent–teacher conferences, produced by Harvard Family Research Project, for use by principals, teachers, and parents, and a list of links to current research, resources, and news in the family involvement field.