Families & the Community Blog

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 This blog is no longer being updated, but you can continue to explore these issues on edweek.org by visiting our related topic pages: families & the community.

Education Common Core Faces Fierce Foes in Two Indiana Moms
Two mothers from Indiana started Hoosiers Against Common Core to reverse the state's adoption of the educational standards, a campaign that is making its mark.
Michele Molnar, February 14, 2013
3 min read
Education National PTA Applauds, Dings 'State of the Union' Address
The National PTA agreed with much of President Barack Obama's State of the Union address, but wanted to hear ESEA reauthorization mentioned, too.
Michele Molnar, February 13, 2013
3 min read
Education New Twist on Permission Slips: For High-Stakes Testing?
Parents know whether their children are highly sensitive to high-stakes testing, so should parents be asked to give permission for standardized test-taking?
Michele Molnar, February 12, 2013
1 min read
Education Urban Students Gain When Parent Involvement Gets School Support
A California professor's meta-analysis boosts the link between school programs that promote parent involvement and students' greater academic success.
Michele Molnar, February 8, 2013
3 min read
Education Debating the Meaning of 'Parent Engagement'
When people hear the term "parent engagement" or "parent involvement," they might have many different interpretations, not all of them positive.
Michele Molnar, February 7, 2013
2 min read
Education Boston Parent Turns Frustration into 'Engagement Power'
A mother's frustration with school low expectations became a strong motivator, eventually propelling Michele Brooks to become assistant superintendent for family and student engagement in Boston Public Schools.
Michele Molnar, February 4, 2013
2 min read
Education ReadTennessee Aims to Help Parents, Community Help Kids
Engaging parents in helping their children learn can be done virtually, as a website called ReadTennessee demonstrates.
Michele Molnar, February 1, 2013
3 min read
Education National PTA Honors Parents, Youth for Advocacy
The National PTA today announced state and local winners of awards for grassroots advocacy, from the Florida PTA to a teenager's efforts against distracted driving.
Michele Molnar, January 30, 2013
2 min read
Education Parents Concerned About School Safety Weigh Various Options
Parents, worried about their children's safety at school and elsewhere, consider a variety of measures to address the issue.
Michele Molnar, January 28, 2013
2 min read
Education High-Profile Launch Set for 'National School Choice Week'
With 3,500 events planned across the country, National School Choice Week kicks off today with a private Jonas Brothers concert and a whistle-stop tour.
Michele Molnar, January 25, 2013
2 min read
Education Seven Key Elements Named for Successful Partnerships for Learning
The Harvard Family Research Project publishes a paper on the seven key elements for partners working to support student learning.
Michele Molnar, January 24, 2013
1 min read
Education New Film Features Parent-Teacher Collaboration to Save School
A new film from the Annenberg Institute for School Reform highlights a successful teacher-parent collaboration to save a Minneapolis high school.
Michele Molnar, January 18, 2013
1 min read
Education 'Parent Trigger' Petition Targets Los Angeles School
A new "parent trigger" petition has been delivered from parents at 24th Street Elementary School in Los Angeles, expressing their dissatisfaction with the status quo.
Michele Molnar, January 17, 2013
4 min read
Education Parent Survey Offers Schools Harvard-Tested Questions
Schools can measure parent impressions of their child's school and education with a new tool developed by Harvard University, which is available on SurveyMonkey.
Michele Molnar, January 16, 2013
1 min read