In this policy brief, the authors examine and provide examples of the ways that public libraries have become invaluable partners in supporting family STEM learning. Although emerging research points to the strong influence of families on children's growth and development, a focus on joint parent and child STEM learning is still nascent. This brief…

This research brief reviews research on why and how family involvement matters for elementary school children's learning and socio-emotional development. Specifically, it summarizes the latest evidence base on effective involvement for elementary school children--that is, the studies that link family involvement in elementary schools to children's…

The paper begins with a challenge, namely: How do we work with families and communities to co-create the next generation of family and community engagement, providing equitable learning pathways--both in and out of school and from birth to young adulthood--that will enable all children to be successful in the 21st century? Exploring what it takes…

A recent ethnographic study that interviewed 11 elementary principals provides examples of how principals with limited resources can build relationships with low-income parents. Effective principals set goals, expand services to children and families, provide parenting education, negotiate and celebrate cultural differences, build strong…

This resource guide contains annotated Web links to recent (published in and after 2000) research, information, and tools about family involvement. Family involvement involves a broad range of constructs and this is reflected in the guide, which covers resources about parenting practices to support children's learning and development, home-school…

To be effective, teachers must be prepared to collaborate with families to support student success. Many studies confirm that strong parent-teacher relationships relate to positive student outcomes, such as healthy social development, high student achievement, and high rates of college enrollment. Thus, by giving teachers the support they need to…

Although a substantial literature examines the outcomes of family involvement in education, and the family and school characteristics that support or deter such involvement, we know little about the role of national nonprofit intermediary organizations in family educational involvement. This article argues that intermediary organizations play a…

This report presents a framework to help educators improve teacher training in family involvement. Information comes from the Harvard Family Research Project, which documented the nature and scope of preservice education in family involvement. Researchers reviewed state teacher certification requirements, surveyed courses and requirements at…

Since the 1997 publication of "New Skills for New Schools" by Harvard Family Research Project, the education reform landscape has changed dramatically, making it necessary to align teacher preparation and professional learning for family engagement with the goals of a twenty-first century education. Harvard Family Research Project is currently…

Studies of seven school-sponsored programs conducted by the Harvard Family Research Project and the National Association of State Boards of Education found various innovative approaches to early childhood education. This article describes four major success strategies: organizing an early childhood unit; creating child-centered classrooms;…

This guide, volume four of a six-part series, describes several community-outreach methods and provides practical outreach suggestions that are based on experience, as well as typical problems and the ways practitioners have chosen to resolve them. The guide is divided into three parts. Part 1 focuses on recruitment. Specific topics cover ways of…

Positive early-literacy experiences--whether at home, in early-childhood programs, schools, or libraries--set children on a trajectory to become confident readers by the time they reach third grade, which is an important milestone on the pathway toward high school graduation. This review outlines seven practices that research shows families use to…

The transition to school is a rite of passage in the lives of children and their families. For children, it means meeting new teachers and friends, adapting to a different and often larger hustling and bustling environment, and adjusting to new rules and expectations. For families, the transition to school can bring about feelings of happiness,…

The Families Matter series of papers from the Harvard Family Research Project advances the concept of family-centered child care, advocating an approach to early childhood education that addresses the development of the child and family together. Grounded in family support principles, which build on family strengths and work from a community's…

Best preschool programs provide both developmentally appropriate curricula and school-based family support services. This article describes four exemplary, innovative, and low-cost early education programs in Kentucky, Colorado, Iowa, and Florida that integrate family support, day care, and health and social services. These districts had visionary…