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.
January FINE Newsletter: School Transition Study and More
January 2007
Dear FINE Member,
Here are this month's FINE member updates. As always, please feel free to forward this information to your friends and other education colleagues.
New From FINE
Happy New Year! In this month's FINE announcement, we are pleased to offer you two new Research Digests that are based on Harvard Family Research Project’s longstanding work with the School Transition Study. Taken together, these briefs establish the importance of family involvement in schools as a means of improving the academic achievement of children living in low-income families, and highlight ways that low-income working families stay engaged in their children's learning.
- Research Digest: Family Involvement in School and Low-Income Children’s Literacy Performance
In this groundbreaking study, Eric Dearing and his colleagues demonstrate that when families' involvement in school increases over the elementary years, children's achievement increases. Furthermore, Dearing and colleagues show that family involvement in school matters most for children whose mothers have less education.
- Abstract and Full Article
To read the full abstract or to order the article in its entirety, visit APA Online at the link above.
- Research Digest: Making It Work: Low-Income Working Mothers' Involvement in Their Children's Education
Drawing from the same rich study of diverse families, Heather Weiss and her colleagues examine how low-income mothers' work patterns predict the amount of their involvement in their children’s education. Their study also reveals a variety of involvement strategies used by working mothers.
- Full Article
The full article is available as a pdf at the link above.
- Additional Research
To learn more about HFRP's line of family involvement research and to access other articles based on this high-quality study of diverse families, go to the School Transition Study page on HFRP's website.
- Interview
To read an interview with HFRP director Heather Weiss about HFRP's School Transition Study work, please visit Harvard Graduate School of Education's new Usable Knowledge website
Professional Development
- Writing Measurable Goals, Benchmarks, and Objectives
The Center for Innovations in Education (CISE) at the University of Missouri is offering a 5-week online interactive course for educators, families, and university faculty and students who want to develop skills in writing measurable goals for Individualized Education Programs as required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1997 and 2004. For more information, see the CISE website.
Recent Articles and Reports
- Community & Family Engagement: Principals Share What Works
The Coalition for Community Schools explores six strategies to help school leaders engage families, staff, partners and the larger community in the life of the school.
- Trends in the Use of School Choice: 1993 to 2003
This report from the National Center for Education Statistics shows that there were no differences in parental involvement practices between students enrolled in assigned and chosen public schools. Parents of students in private schools, however, reported more direct involvement in their children’s schools than parents of students in public schools.
- Core Knowledge for PK–3 Teaching: Ten Components of Effective Instruction
The Foundation for Child Development identifies parent and community outreach as one of the top 10 components of effective early childhood and elementary instruction.
- Engaging Communities
The latest issue of Voices in Urban Education, a quarterly publication of the Annenberg Institute for School Reform, focuses on how communities are involved in public education. Articles provide the perspectives of schools, students, government leaders, and others on the issue of community engagement.
Books
- 176 Ways to Involve Parents: Practical Strategies for Partnering With Families
Educator and consultant Betty Boult provides strategies for how school administrators and teachers can create partnerships with families in order to support student success. To buy this book, click on the link above.
Upcoming Events
- National Conference on Family Literacy 2007
The 16th annual national conference on family literacy will be held March 4–6 in Orlando, Florida. To register, go to the conference website at the link above.
- Beyond School Hours 2007
Foundations, Inc. will hold its 10th annual Beyond School Hours conference February 7–10 in Greensboro, North Carolina. Two of the conference’s sessions will focus on engaging families in after school programs. For more information about the conference, visit Foundation, Inc.’s events page.
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