Type 2
Issue No. 19
Fall 2005

Issues and Insights

NNPS: A Research-Based Approach to School, Family, and Community Partnerships

Prospective members often ask: “Is NNPS a research-based model?” The term is important for all school improvement programs and for the No Child Left Behind requirements for parental involvement. Just as educators want research-based curricular and instructional approaches, they also want family and community involvement programs to be based on solid knowledge and tested tools.

The answer is simple and clear: Yes! NNPS is research-based. NNPS's framework of six types of involvement, emphasis on teamwork, planning forms, evaluation tools, and other strategies and materials are based on the results of research conducted over twenty years by NNPS and other researchers. And, we continue to conduct studies to learn more about partnerships and to develop and improve tools that will be useful in practice.

Guidelines for Scientific Research

NNPS research follows the guidelines for scientific studies of the National Research Council (NRC).^{1, 2} Our studies, conducted with the support of grants awarded after proposals were carefully reviewed, pose significant questions, are theoretically grounded, use methodologies appropriate for the questions, and develop valid and reliable measures for analyses. The conclusions and resulting tools for use by educators reflect findings that have been replicated and confirmed across several studies-never just one. With NRC, NNPS recognizes that multiple methods should be used to fully explore important topics in education, including school, family, and community partnerships. Most NNPS studies use longitudinal data to chart progress, accounting for prior conditions and starting points. In many studies, quantitative analyses are conducted to explore increasingly complex explanatory models, and to use statistical techniques to compare otherwise similar schools, districts, students, or parents to isolate the effects of variables that influence the quality of partnership programs or that affect student outcomes. Some qualitative studies delve deeply into the processes that affect program quality, which cannot be identified in survey data. For example:

Several studies indicated that schools with strong Action Teams for Partnerships that met regularly, evaluated their efforts, and obtained support from their districts had higher quality partnership programs that improved over time (see the Research Brief).
Other studies showed that district leaders for partnerships who directly assisted their schools and used more NNPS tools for program planning and evaluation improved their leadership on partnerships and reported that their schools made more progress with family and community involvement.
Studies of student outcomes with longitudinal data indicated that, in elementary, middle, and high schools, family involvement had positive effects on achievement in math, reading, and science, attendance, behavior, homework completion, course credits earned, parent-child discussions about postsecondary education plans, and other indicators of success in school. These studies showed that it is never too late to organize effective, goal-linked programs to inform and involve families in their children's education.

The results of these and other studies influence NNPS training and tools for district leaders and school teams.

NNPS research is published in peer-reviewed, scientific journals and books for researchers and often prepared for publication in practical journals to share information that will be useful in policy and practice. Studies are summarized and referenced in the Research Briefs column in each issue of Type 2.

NNPS: A Research-Based Approach

NNPS offers the strongest research-based guidelines, tools, and materials available to help schools, districts, states, and organizations develop and sustain goal-oriented programs of family and community involvement. Of course, NNPS members must do their part to apply the guidelines. Together, research-based approaches and thoughtful practice create excellent programs of partnerships.

Summary of Research: For a short summary of over 30 studies conducted by NNPS researchers visit www.partnershipschools.org. Click on the Research Summary alert on the home page.

References

Shavelson, R. J. & Towne, L., Eds. (2002). Scientific research in education. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.
Towne, L., Wise, L. L., & Winters, T. M., Eds. (2004). Advancing scientific research in education. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.