Parent Education as Provided by Secondary Schools

Abstract

Although parent education programs have been found in American schools for many years, the 1970's seem to have brought forth a new emphasis on this academic approach and the field is now enjoying more attention than at any other time in history. Recognizing and encouraging this new interest in parent education, the Education for Parenthood program was begun in September of 1972 by the Office of Education and the Office of Child Development and included instruction and field experience for secondary school pupils in a course called Exploring Childhood (Children Today, 1973). Still, the question remains as to what kind of parent education is actually being offered in the average high school. To obtain one answer to that question, we asked The Family Coordinator Family Life Education Panel, a group of 55 state and regional leaders in family life professions, about the state of the art of parent education in their local secondary schools. The information they provided composes this fourth report from the Family Life Education Panel.