14 - Effective Parent Education and Involvement Models and Programs: Contemporary Strategies for School Implementation

Abstract

This chapter focuses on—(1) the change in family structure that has produced a need for changes in parent education and involvement, (2) contemporary strategies for parent education and involvement, (3) research on the benefits of parent education and involvement in school-sponsored settings, (4) parent education and involvement strategies for local school systems and state departments or agencies of education, (5) important components in effective parent education or involvement program implementation and evaluation, and (6) evaluation criteria for parent education and involvement programs. Parent education and involvement programs in general have been shown to produce positive relationships between home and school. Giving parents and the community a stake in identifying parent programs, testing models, and sharing results is one of the best ways to bring about change. The chapter also discusses the content and evaluation data on a group of programs categorized as classic parent education programs that focus on training parents through lecture, discussion, simulations, and at-home activities.