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.
June FINE Newsletter: Early Childhood Research Brief
June 2006
Dear FINE Member,
Here are this month's FINE member updates—the last for the academic year. The monthly FINE announcement will be taking a break for the summer and will resume in September. In the meantime, please feel free to make use of the resources below and to forward this information to friends and colleagues.
A Message From Heather Weiss, Director of HFRP
We at HFRP want to thank M. Elena Lopez for her many years of service to Harvard Family Research Project and especially to FINE. Elena is moving on to a new position in philanthropy, where she will continue her work in education issues. Please join us in wishing Elena well in her new role.
We are pleased to introduce Abby Weiss, who will assume leadership of our work in family and community involvement. Abby came to HFRP over a year ago with almost 15 years of experience at the Institute for Responsive Education and as an independent evaluation consultant in family involvement initiatives. We look forward to continuing our work with all FINE members on exploring family, school, and community partnerships that help children thrive.
New From FINE
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Research Brief: Family Involvement in Early Childhood Education
We're proud to announce the launch of a new series of research briefs on family involvement in education. This engaging, evidence-based series, called Family Involvement Makes a Difference, is written for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers and includes ideas that you can use right away in your own work. The first brief in the series is now available. Entitled Family Involvement in Early Childhood Education, this brief synthesizes the latest research on how family involvement contributes to young children's learning and development. Watch next fall's FINE announcements for future briefs in the series, which will focus on family involvement in elementary school and middle and high school settings. To read the early childhood education brief click on the link above.
- Bibliography: Research on Early Childhood Education
Our recently updated bibliography features research on family involvement in early childhood education. This comprehensive bibliography complements our new Family Involvement in Early Childhood Education research brief and lists journal articles, theses, books, and reports on early childhood education published between 1999 and 2005.
Calls for FINE Participation
- Nominations for District-Level Best Practices
FINE is interested in learning about districts with a strong commitment to family involvement. Do you know of a school district that is home to exemplary family involvement practices? If so, please send your district nominations to us. Please email the name and state of the district and the reasons for your nomination in a message with the subject heading “District Nomination” to fine@gse.harvard.edu.
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Applications for Review Panel on Latino Family Involvement Resources
We're adding new resources focusing on Latino family involvement to our Family Involvement Storybook Corner, and we're looking for a few reviewers with expertise in Latino children's literature, as well as in family involvement and early literacy in Latino families, to review these new resources. If you are interested in being considered for our panel, please share your qualifications with us in an email with subject heading “Volunteer Reviewer” to fine@gse.harvard.edu. Panel reviewers will be acknowledged on our website. To learn more about the resources we are developing, visit the Storybook Corner.
New From Harvard Family Research Project
- Learning From Small-Scale Experimental Evaluations of After School Programs
The eighth publication in our series of Out-of-School Time Evaluation Snapshots is now available on our website. Learning From Small-Scale Experimental Evaluations of After School Programs reviews the evaluation strategies and findings from rigorous, experimental studies that are smaller or more local in scope than the national evaluations usually featured. Although they are often overlooked, these evaluations can provide you with valuable information about investing in, conducting, and evaluating out-of-school time programs.
- Exploring Quality Standards for Middle School After School Programs: What We Know and What We Need To Know
In our continuing efforts to understand and promote quality programming, HFRP and the National Institute on Out-of-School Time recently cohosted a summit on quality in middle school after school programs. After school staff, administrators, researchers, and funders met to discuss how to define and assess middle school program quality and how to distinguish it from elementary school program quality. At the link above, we share with you what we learned at the summit, as well as future directions for policy, practice, and research.
Professional Development
- Professional Development Institute: Closing the Achievement Gap
In November, Harvard Family Research Project will present an institute entitled Closing the Achievement Gap: Linking Families, Schools, and Communities at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE). Designed to give school, district, and community leaders strategies for tackling the achievement gap and fostering learning for all children, the institute will feature our new complementary learning approach—a comprehensive model that fosters partnerships between families, schools, and other nonschool supports. You can call the office for Programs in Professional Education at HGSE at 1-800-545-1849 or find registration information and additional details about the institute at the link above.
- Programs in Professional Education at HGSE
Each summer and fall, the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) provides professional development training for more than 1,800 teachers, principals, and school leaders. Their programs provide the latest research, information and “best practices” for improving student achievement. In addition to the Closing the Achievement Gap institute described above, we list below the titles of three upcoming summer and fall programs at HGSE:
- Critical Issues in Special Education: Improving Outcomes for Students with Disabilities.
- The Principal Redefined: Lessons Learned, Lessons to Learn
- Leading and Managing the Independent School of the Future
Recent Reports
- CSRQ Center Report on Education Service Providers
In this report, the Comprehensive School Reform Quality Center reviews seven replicated models of comprehensive educational and administrative services. CSRQ looks at each program model's effect on outcomes, including family and community involvement.
- Open to the Public: The Public Speaks Out on No Child Left Behind
Between September 2005 and January 2006, the Parent Education Network held nine hearings for the public to discuss experiences with No Child Left Behind. Over 1,500 students, parents, and community members attended. See what participants had to say about such topics as accountability, parent involvement, and school–family communication at the link above.
- School Communication in Parents' Native Language
Data from Child Trends shows that 64% of children with non-English-speaking parents attend schools that provide translators at parent–teacher conferences and offer translated school materials for children to take home, while 22% of children with non-English-speaking parents attend schools providing neither service. At the link above, you can see data further broken down by income, race, and other factors.
Tool Kit
- Beyond the Building: A Facilitation Guide for School, Family, and Community Connections
This multimedia tool kit from Southwest Educational Development Laboratory includes activities, handouts, and research resources for workshops promoting involvement. You can purchase it at the link above.
Our Website
- A New Look for FINE
We're excited to announce that we are in the beginning stages of a long-overdue website redesign for FINE and the rest of the Harvard Family Research Project site. In addition to a new look and easier-to-use navigation, you can look forward to several new features, including the ability to search the site and access printer-friendly pages. To share your feedback on what you would like to see and do on our redesigned website, please email hfrp_pubs@gse.harvard.edu.
Contact Us
Have a problem with the website or questions and comments concerning our work? Send an email to fine@gse.harvard.edu.
Enjoy!
FINE – The Family Involvement Network of Educators