Published Version to Share With Colleagues: 
2006 Award Winners Sustain Strong Research-Based Partnership Programs
NNPS recognized seven schools, two districts, three organizations, and two state departments of education with its 2006 Partnership Awards. The winners were from diverse communities in California, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, and Wisconsin (see photos, pp. 6-7). Each site provided detailed information on how they use NNPS’s research-based approaches to strengthen and sustain leadership and programs of family and community involvement. All winners received a cash prize of $500, a free registration to an NNPS conference, an engraved plaque, and other recognition.
NEW and IMPROVED! NNPS Redesigns Website.
NNPS's website has a new look! To celebrate its 10th Anniversary, NNPS launched the new and improved www.partnershipschools.org. The website – including research summaries and hundreds of practical ideas on partnerships – is a lifeline to members, prospective members, the media, researchers, parents, and the public.
Issues and Insights: District Leaders Share Secrets of 10 Years
of Progress in Programs Partnerships.
Every year, new districts join NNPS for research-based tools and materials to develop their programs of family and community involvement. A few districts have worked with NNPS since its start in 1996. To mark the 10th anniversary of NNPS, I interviewed two leaders in “charter” districts – Nina Menis of Naperville, IL (NINA) and Arlene Borner of District 112 in Chaska, MN (ARLENE). Naperville, with 21 schools, is an economically advantaged location, but has several schools that receive Title I funding. District 112 includes 12 schools that serve five communities in and around Chaska, including many economically stressed neighborhoods and a growing number of families who do not speak English at home.
Meeting the Challenge: Helping Single-Parent Families Stay Involved.
Studies show that, on average, children from single-parent households are less likely to demonstrate high achievement and complete school on time, compared to their peers from two-parent families. The differences in school performance can be partially explained by the fact that single mothers or fathers are less likely to be as involved as other parents in their children’s education. Because virtually every school has children from single-parent households, it is important for all schools to develop partnership programs with activities that engage these parents in their children’s education.
Elementary School Report: Family Nights Focus on Student Math Achievement.
With the nation’s emphasis on statewide testing, administrators and teachers are increasingly aware of the importance boosting student achievement in math. Educators are working to increase the quality of the math curriculum, improve instruction to reach struggling students, and devote more time to math in the busy school day. It also is important to involve parents in their children’s math education in positive ways to increase the likelihood that students are motivated to succeed in this critical subject.
2006 Partnership Award Winners (pdf).
Our Growing Network - 2006 (pdf).
Research Brief: Moving Forward: What Have We Learned to Improve Programs of School, Family, and Community Partnerships?
If family involvement is important for student success, as decades of studies indicate, then we must address a harder, but more difficult question: How can more families – indeed, all families – become involved in their children’s education in ways that contribute to student success? This question underlies NNPS’s efforts to help states, districts, schools, and organizations "think new" about developing excellent partnership programs that contribute to student achievement, motivation, behavior, and other indicators of success in school.
Middle and High School Report: A World of Possibilities: Connecting with Diverse Families
The middle and high school years pose many challenges for family and community involvement. Teenagers and their families cope with transitions to new and larger schools, course selections, and decisions about postsecondary education. These important decisions require that families have useful information to stay connected to their teens and their schools. These challenges can be particularly daunting for families who are new to the country, unfamiliar with U.S. schools, and who do not speak or read English very well. Most schools in NNPS serve diverse families and are working to welcome and engage all families in their children’s education. Some examples of successful involvement activities in middle and high schools are chronicled in Promising Partnership Practices 20061 as reported below.
Military Child Initiative: Involving Highly Mobile Families: Plan Successful Transitions
For many schools, "keeping up with the Joneses" means, literally, keeping up with families on the move. Schools across the country are facing the challenge of developing meaningful partnerships with highly mobile parents who are deployed for military duty. NNPS is providing technical assistance to districts and schools that serve students from military families to help them improve connections with highly mobile families. What are some examples?
NNPS Offers Professional Development: Workshops — On the Road
NNPS Workshops – On the Road is a new service to help members continuously improve their partnership programs. The professional development workshops include basic training for district leaders and for school teams to start their programs, and advanced topics for members of NNPS who are ready to tackle tough challenges to involve all families in their locations.