Joyce
L. Epstein, Mavis G. Sanders, Beth S. Simon, Karen Clark Salinas,
Natalie Rodriguez Jansorn, and Frances L. Van Voorhis
Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press
This user-friendly handbook guides school, district, and state leaders to organize and implement positive and permanent programs of school, family, and community partnerships. The second edition includes research summaries and useful tools for developing and evaluating programs of family and community involvement.
The handbook focuses on schools because that is where the children are. It is designed to guide the work of Action Teams for Partnerships (ATPs) consisting of teachers, parents, administrators, and others. The information, forms, and activities in the handbook also help district and state leaders support, facilitate, and reward the work of their schools.
Ten chapters offer step-by-step strategies to improve leadership and programs of school, family, and community connections.
Chapter 1: A Comprehensive Framework for School, Family, and Community Partnerships. This chapter summarizes the theory and research on which the handbook is based. The first article describes the framework of the Six Types of Involvement, identifies challenges that must be met, and results of well-implemented partnership programs. It also discusses an Action Team approach for developing comprehensive programs of partnership. The second article presents an overview of how school-community connections can be organized to strengthen partnership programs.
Chapter 2: Using the Framework in Practice: Stories from the Field. Examples from elementary, middle, and high schools illustrate how the Six Types of Involvement and Action Team approach work in various schools and communities. The stories from the field also feature state and district leadership activities that promote partnerships.
Chapter 3: Taking an Action Team Approach. Twelve common questions are addressed on organizing effective ATPs. Several tools and guidelines are included to help develop strong and successful teams.
Chapter 4: Conducting Workshops. Agendas are provided for state, district, or school leaders to conduct team-training workshops and end-of-year celebration workshops for schools' ATPs. The chapter includes suggested "scripts" and activities to help workshop leaders cover key topics, themes, and activities.
Chapter 5: Selecting Materials for Presentations and Workshops. Charts and diagrams are supplied which may be reproduced as transparencies, handouts, and activities for the workshops described in Chapter 4 and other presentations. These materials enable workshop leaders to present and discuss the framework of the six types of involvement, challenges to meet, results of partnerships, team structures, and how to write a One-Year Plan for partnerships.
Chapter 6: Strengthening Partnership Programs in Middle and High Schools. Three articles summarize research and practical approaches to family and community involvement in secondary schools. Additional reproducible materials are included to use in workshops attended by middle and high school ATPs and in presentations to leaders who will assist middle and high schools with their partnership programs.
Chapter 7: Developing State and District Leadership for Partnerships. State and district leadership activities are outlined to increase expertise on school, family, and community partnerships. Information is included on the costs of partnership programs and sources of funds. Checklists are provided to help state and district leaders organize their partnership programs.
Chapter 8: Implementing Teachers Involve Parents in Schoolwork (TIPS). Two research-based partnership approaches are described. TIPS interactive homework increases family involvement with students at home in positive conversations about schoolwork. TIPS Volunteers in Social Studies and Art increase family and community involvement at school by organizing volunteers to present art "masterpieces" linked to units in history to increase students' art appreciation. The chapter includes sample interactive homework assignments for the elementary, middle, and high school grades, and a sample social studies and art presentation.
Chapter 9: Planning and Evaluating Your Partnership Program. This chapter includes essential tools that help elementary, middle, and high schools take an inventory of present practices, set long-terms goals for partnerships, write one-year action plans, conduct end-of-year evaluations, and assess the progress of their partnership programs.
Chapter 10: Networking for Best Results on Partnerships. Information and resources are provided to enable readers of this handbook to join other schools, districts, and states in the National Network of Partnership Schools (NNPS) at Johns Hopkins University. NNPS provides on-going professional development on school, family, and community partnerships to school, district, and state leaders, and many ways to share ideas and progress.
The handbook is based on knowledge gained over many years talking and working with thousands of teachers and administrators, and tens of thousands of families and students in schools, towns, and cities across the country. In schools at all levels, teachers and administrators want to know how to work with families in positive ways. Parents want to know how to help their children succeed in school, how to recognize and ensure high quality education for their children, and how to support and improve school programs. Students want to succeed in school, but often need guidance and encouragement from many sources. These different needs and interests can be met in programs of school-family-community partnerships that encourage all who are interested in children to work effectively together.
One copy of the Handbook is provided to each school, district, state, and organization that joins the National Network of Partnership Schools.
Copies of School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Your Handbook for Action, Second Edition may be ordered from Corwin Press for $39.95 (paper) plus shipping/handling.
To order call 800-818-7243 or go to www.corwinpress.com. Ask about discounts for large quantity orders.