Resources For The Engaged Parent

Parent Information and Resource Centers, which receive funding from the U.S. Department of Education, works "to inform and educate parents, family advocates, educators, community organizers, faith-based activists and others committed to educational success for all students.

"The National PTA provides various resources on Parent Involvement, including an overview of the National Standards for Parent/Family Involvement Programs. Also, the organization offers further information on specific issues such as the No Child Left Behind Act.National Network of Partnership Schools at Johns Hopkins University, an organization focused on "developing and maintaining comprehensive programs of school-family-community partnerships," offers a digest of publications.Parent Leadership Associates aims to engage "parents to become decision-making partners in public schools.

" The group offers a number of publications and compiles resources and news.Project Appleseed provides a self-assessment tool for parents to use to rate how involved they are in their children's education.Read an overview of the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory's Involving Family and Community in Student Learning program, and learn more about its other projects, including the National Center for Family and Community Connections With Schools, which "fosters effective family and community connections with schools by developing and distributing research-based resources and tools to a wide audience.

"Parents for Public Schools, a national group devoted to increasing parents' involvement in public schools, offers parent resources, publications, and a directory of its local chapters. The National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education provides resources for those involved in family-school partnerships: parents or families, educators, and administrators.