Higher education curriculum is as varied as the institutions themselves. Familiarizing parents with college curriculum may assist them in their college students' selection and academic success. This article provides school administrators, teachers, counselors, public relations personnel, and college professors with examples of learning modes and…

This mixed methods study focuses on communication between teachers and parents in primary and secondary schools in northeast Texas. Based on data from surveys in 11 districts, received from 230 teachers and 171 parents, this study found statistically significant differences between teachers' and parents' perceptions of the classroom teacher's…

This study was designed to investigate school principals' perceptions on school public relations in five areas: community demographics, parental involvement, internal and external communications, school council issues, and community resources. Findings indicated that principals' concerns were as follows: rapid population growth, change of…

This article describes the 1st-year evaluation of a community-wide parent and family involvement program initiated in a midsized Southeast community and school district. The program consists of three major components: community-wide efforts, school-home communication, and home involvement. Formative and summative evaluation data were gathered…

Decades of research establishes positive associations between parental involvement and a number of important student outcomes, including student achievement. Furthermore, a number of technological innovations make facilitating parental involvement more possible than ever. Those possibilities, however, require varying levels of technological…

This study examines the potential for educational services by career counselors within administrative relationship domains through a case example. It explores the usefulness of career counseling intervention to facilitate career progress through superintendent-school board relationship difficulties as the superintendent attempts to implement…

Salaries for new superintendents form a highly visible factor that has direct implications for school-community public relations. To provide a means for guiding school board members and to provide a format for justifying salaries, a model is presented that serves both purposes. Within this model, attention is afforded to specifying a relevant…

This article explores how principals and teachers view their organizational communication processes, in successful and less successful schools. By dividing the organizational communication process into three dimensions--information, affirmation, and interpretation--different actions and expressions are visualized. To meet organizational needs, all…

This article examines the characteristics and influences of boundary-spanning leadership in university-school-community partnership contexts. To gain a clear understanding of the diffuse literature in this area, over 60 related articles and books were reviewed; common themes were identified; and emergent connections were drawn. The most common…

This article describes Universal Instructional Design as an inclusive pedagogical model for use in educational programs, whether provided by traditional educational institutions, community-based initiatives, or workplace literacy projects. For the benefit of public relations specialists and classroom educators alike, the article begins with a…

After a failed tax levy in 2004, the Ladue School District in Missouri realized that it had to significantly change its communication methods. A new superintendent was hired in July 2004 to work with the Board of Education to reestablish relationships and increase effective communications with parents and community members. As such, we are the…

Authentic political conversation entails identifying the work, bringing together stakeholders, providing information, framing questions, giving individuals a voice, being transparent, and acting on the values of the group's collective good. Through this process, we identify common core values and respond to the basic human need to be connected--to…

The No Child Left Behind parental involvement mandates have a direct impact on the work of administrators. Although the legislation is perceived as comprehensive regarding the implementation of parent involvement activities, the rigorous application of these strategies has not had the desired outcomes in low-performing, predominantly African…

The task of achieving and maintaining good school community relations has never been easy, but new challenges bring with them a new urgency. Now, more than ever before, it is imperative for school districts to recognize and embrace community education. The community education philosophy strives to be all-inclusive. In a broad sense, it enables the…

In an interview, a school district director of communication shares his experiences about the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in Ontario and offers timely advice for practitioners, including a proactive communications team and coordination of information with state and local health, police, and fire departments. (MLF)