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www.HFRP.org

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.

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Dear FINE Member,

Here are this month's FINE member announcements. Please feel free to forward this information to friends and other education colleagues.

New on the FINE Website

  • Research Digests

    Two research summaries have been added to the Research Digest section:

Recent Reports

  • No More Islands: Family Involvement in 27 School and Youth Programs

    The American Youth Policy Forum reviewed 27 evaluations of school and youth programs, all of which include a family involvement component. The report concludes that family context is important to school and youth programming and describes effective family involvement strategies.

  • The Role of the Faith Community in Strengthening Families

    The National Campaign to Strengthen Families explores the role that faith communities play in helping families and neighborhoods become stronger. Four reports are available: the first looks closely at nine different community ministries, the second examines obstacles and advantages of faith-based family support for the urban poor, and the third is a how-to guide for congregations seeking to improve their services to families. The last report provides 38 suggestions to policymakers on how to promote faith-based family support without jeopardizing the constitutional principles of religious freedom and the separation of church and state.

  • Learning for the 21st Century: A Report and Mile Guide for 21st Century Skills

    The Partnership for 21st Century Skills addresses the “profound gap” that now exists between what students learn in school and the skills they need to succeed in twenty-first century communities and workplaces. In 2002, the Partnership conducted the National Forum on 21st Century Skills with hundreds of educators, academics, business leaders, and employers in order to identify and define these essential skills. The findings are presented in this report along with a plan for integrating these skills into public education.

  • Family Support and Parent Involvement in Head Start: What Do Head Start Program Performance Standards Require?

    Rachel Schumacher of the Center for Law and Social Policy describes specific requirements in Head Start Program Performance Standards to involve parents in programs and to link families to support services. The report also provides data on family support and involvement in Head Start programs in 2002.

  • Identifying and Addressing the Needs of Children in Grandparent Care

    What unique challenges do grandparent caregivers face as they raise young children? This report finds that grandparent caregivers are often not as aware as other relative caregivers of the services available to them and often require specific services. Service providers should target grandparent caregivers, raise awareness of the resources that they and their grandchild are eligible for, and improve access to resources.

  • Support for Home-based Education: Pioneering Partnerships Between Public Schools and Families Who Instruct Their Children at Home

    This book provides advice to state policymakers, local boards of education, and school administrators on how to build partnerships with home-schooling families. It includes detailed descriptions of public-school programs that provide resources for home schoolers and looks state-by-state at policies that support home-based education.

  • When, Where, What, and How Youth Learn: Blurring School and Community Boundaries

    The Spring 2003 issue of New Directions for Youth Development explores the connections between learning inside and outside of the classroom, during and after the school day. The papers in this volume share a common focus on opportunities for learning outside the classroom and on creating learning-centered communities.

  • Involving Fathers in Family Literacy: Outcomes and Insights From the Fathers Reading Every Day Program

    Stephen Green reports early findings from a pilot of Fathers Reading Every Day, a program developed by Texas Cooperative Extension at Texas A&M. Early responses to the program are promising, but further research is recommended.

Public Opinion Poll

  • AOL Time Warner 21st Century Literacy Survey

    AOL Time Warner surveyed 1,200 adults about what skills teens need for the twenty-first century and where and how they should acquire them. Respondents rated parents and schools as the most important individuals or organizations to help youth gain twenty-first century skills.

Programs to Watch

  • Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE)

    PIQE offers courses to parents in more than 1,300 schools throughout California. Parent courses cover topics such as creating a home learning environment, navigating the school system, and collaborating with teachers and schools. PIQE has developed a six-hour teacher workshop on parent involvement and has implemented a master’s level (three-unit) semester course on parent involvement that has been piloted in 10 schools in San Diego County.

Events

  • Session by the National Center for Family & Community Connections With Schools

    What works and what doesn’t work to connect diverse families and communities with schools? This full-day pre-conference session hosted by the National Center for Family & Community Connections With Schools (Southwest Educational Development Laboratory) will explore recent findings from the Center’s research on the role of diverse communities and parents in increasing student achievement. It takes place on Tuesday, December 2nd, from 9am to 3pm at NCEA’s 38th Annual Conference at the Hyatt Regency in New Orleans, Louisiana.

  • National Family Week: Connections Count

    National Family Week: Connections Count will be celebrated November 23–29. Visit the website to get great ideas on how your agency, school, or business can participate with local activities; how to engage families, communities members, other organizations, and elected officials in the event; and how to use the occasion to raise awareness of local issues affecting families.

Policy Page

  • NCLB Action Briefs

    The Public Education Network (PEN) and the National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education (NCPIE) are producing weekly action briefs for parent and community leaders on specific provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act. Six briefs are already available and upcoming briefs will address “district and school parent involvement policies” and “parent compacts.”

  • A Practical Guide to Talking With Your Community About No Child Left Behind and Schools in Need of Improvement

    Primarily designed to help school leaders communicate with parents and the public about the No Child Left Behind Act and its effects in their local community, this guide can be readily adapted for use by teacher leaders, PTA presidents, school board members, and others. The guide includes 13 separate items framed as tips for community outreach, dialogue strategies, talking points, provisions and timelines, frequently asked questions, and resources. The guide also includes a tip sheet for parents to help their children in school.

Resources for Parents and Teachers

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

© 2016 Presidents and Fellows of Harvard College
Published by Harvard Family Research Project