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: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.