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A New Wave of Evidence
Conducted by: Anne
T. Henderson and Karen L. Mapp, National Center for Family &
Community Connections with Schools, Southwest Educational
Development Laboratory
Released: 2002 (Download pdf)
Overview: This
research synthesis of 51 research studies published from 1995 to
2002, examines the impact of different family and community
connections on student achievement. The synthesis shows that
for parent involvement to have an impact on achievement, schools
must link parent activities to student learning goals and be
respectful of differences among families.
Key Findings:
About Impact -
The evidence is consistent, positive, and convincing: many forms
of family and community involvement influence student
achievement at all ages.
·
Programs and interventions that engage families in supporting
their children’s learning at home are linked to improved student
achievement.
·
The more families support their children’s learning and
educational progress, both in quantity and over time, the more
their children tend to do well in school and continue their
education.
·
Families of all cultural backgrounds, education, and income
levels can, and often do, have a positive influence on their
children’s learning.
·
Family and community involvement that is linked to student
learning has a greater effect on achievement than more general
forms of
involvement.
About Making
Connections – When
programs and initiatives focus on building respectful and
trusting relationships among school staff, families, and
community members, they are more effective in creating and
sustaining connections that support student achievement.
·
Programs that successfully connect with families and community
invite involvement, are welcoming, and address specific parental
and community needs.
·
Parent involvement programs that are effective in engaging
diverse families recognize cultural and class differences,
address needs and build on strengths.
·
Effective connections embrace a philosophy of partnership where
power is shared – the responsibility for children’s educational
development is a collaborative enterprise among parents, school
staff, and community members.
·
Organized initiatives to build parent and community leadership
aimed at improving low-performing schools are growing and
leading to promising results in low-income urban areas and the
rural South.
·
Current policy
and practice responses do not support the epidemic levels of
trauma symptoms among children and youth. In particular,
children and youth of color, sexual minority youth, and youth at
increased risk for suicide have higher rates of trauma.
Exposure to trauma is particularly high for youth involved in
public systems: mental health, child welfare and juvenile
justice.
· Much
of the emerging knowledge base about trauma, intervention and
prevention are absent in current children’s mental health and
related policies.
· Some
policies serve to undermine tribal, state and local efforts to
develop and sustain trauma-informed practices.
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