K-12 Parents and the Public
In this blog, Education Week explored the substantive role parents play in helping set the course of their children’s education and the direction of America’s public schools. This blog is no longer being updated, but you can continue to explore these issues on edweek.org by visiting our related topic pages: families & the community.
Law & Courts
Family Engagement in Education Act Introduced in Congress
Bi-partisan legislation that would encourage the creation of stronger family-school partnerships was introduced in Congress last week. The Family-Engagement in Education Act seeks to help states build the necessary infrastructure to get parents more involved in their local public schools
Families & the Community
GreatSchools Website Adds Online School Calendar
GreatSchools.org has added free, updated calendar information to their school profiles to help parents stay abreast of their students' increasingly busy school schedules.
Families & the Community
Parents in Connecticut Trained To Be Politically Active
The Middletown (Conn.) School District's Parent Leadership Training Institute trains families to take an active role in government and believes that "when the tools of democracy are understood, the public will engage actively in civic life."
Families & the Community
AEI Offers Parents Common Core Guidance
An article in the American Enterprise Institute's online magazine examines the origins of the common core, informs parents about the difference between curricula and standards, and shares the political influences at play with the initiative.
School & District Management
Single-Father Households Are On the Rise
More American households are led by single fathers and make up WHO MAKE UP?--MB nearly one quarter of the nation's single parents, according to a Pew Research Center report released this month.
Curriculum
Louisiana Law Allows Parents To Petition For Foreign Languages
A new state law requires public school boards in Louisiana to create foreign-language immersion programs if they receive a written request from at least 25 parents.
Equity & Diversity
Conference Aims To Promote Education As A Tool for Justice
More than 1,000 teachers, researchers, community activists, parents, and students and are expected to attend the Free Minds, Free People conference in Chicago July 11 to 14 to promote education as an instrument to seek social justice.
Standards & Accountability
Common Core State Standards: A Parent Primer
With the debate over the Common Core State Standards heating up nationally, Parents for Public Schools has issued a paper to inform parents about the education initiative.
Families & the Community
Annenberg Institute: Activists Offer Alternate Vision of Public Schools
A commentary released last week by the Annenberg Institute for School Reform, at Brown University, states that pockets of community activists are poised to become powerful change agents in the swiftly changing public education landscape.
Equity & Diversity
New PTA President to Emphasize Diversity, Advocacy, Leadership
Otha Thornton, the newly installed president of the National PTA, said that the organization's membership must become more diverse as it advocates on behalf of the nation's children.
Families & the Community
National PTA Honors Family-Engagement Leaders
The National PTA recognized state and local chapters for their efforts to strengthen family-school partnerships.
Families & the Community
'Global Parent Camp' Taking Shape This Summer
Parents are planning this summer for a Global #ParentCamp to be held Nov. 2 in local communities, sharing globally using technology.
Education
A First: National PTA Installs African-American Man as President
Otha Thornton was installed today as National PTA President. It is the first time an African-American man has been selected to lead the organization.
Families & the Community
Summer Reading List for Parents, 2013
Parents can learn about educating their children this summer by reading from the summer book list we compiled with the help of several organizations.