A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

This volume is one of three that are the culmination of a three and one-half year study of education reform, and specifically, the role of parent, family, and community involvement in the middle grades. The study addressed how school districts have provided opportunities for parents and families to be involved in education reform that benefits all children; how parents, families, and communities are involved in the restructuring of middle grade education; and school-initiated activities that promote interaction between adults and students in their home settings. The study was carried out by RMC Research Corporation, under contract with the Office of Educational Research and Improvement in the U.S. Department of Education.

In this volume, we summarize the current state-of-the-art, present the results of visits to each of nine sites as case summaries, and provide a cross-case narrative that analyzes our findings across all sites in terms of the issues that emerged from our site visits. The volume concludes with sections on the impact of reform efforts on outcomes for schools, practitioners, parents, and students; an assessment of the resources needed to carry out reform efforts; and implications for policy, practice, and future research. Data for the study were collected during the 1993-94 school year.

In subsequent volumes we provide detailed case studies for each site, and our research design and methodology.

The conduct of this study and the preparation of this report were sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, under Contract No. RR91-1720.08 (Oliver Moles, Project Officer). Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Education. Nor do the examples included herein imply judgment by the Department or the contractor regarding the quality or status of the program.
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[Executive Summary]