Legal Issues for School Districts Related to the Education of Undocumented Children
This booklet discusses 13 legal questions commonly asked by school board members and school administrators related to undocumented students. Unfortunately, few of the questions have definitive answers. Plyler directly addressed only the narrow question of whether undocumented children are entitled to receive a free public school education. Learn more here.

The National Family, School, and Community Engagement Working Group
An important new leadership collaborative has been established known as the National Family, School, and Community Engagement Working Group whose purpose is to inform the development and implementation of federal policy related to family, school, and community engagement in education. It is dedicated to mobilizing partnerships among families, schools, and communities to promote kindergarten readiness, improve schools, and increase student achievement. The National Family, School, and Community Engagement Working Group premises its policy informing activities on decades of research that family and community engagement leads to increased student achievement, improved social skills and behavior, and increased likelihood for graduation. To learn more about the work of the group click here.

NCPIE Update, May 2009
Does the political will generated by community organizing in low-income, urban communities ultimately enhance the capacity of schools to improve student learning?

¡Colorín Colorado!
Colorín Colorado's mission is to find research-based and best practice information about teaching reading to English language learners (ELLs) and use the power and reach of the Internet to make it widely available to parents, educators, and policy makers. Read more »

Partnering with Parents and Families to Support Immigrant and Refugee Children at School
Coming to the United States in search of a better life for their children, immigrant and refugee families care greatly about education and have high aspirations for their children. Read more »

Present, Engaged, and Accounted For: The Critical Importance of Addressing Chronic Absence in the Early Grades
Hedy Chang continues to research the impact of chronic early absence on students behavior.

Present, Engaged, and Accounted For: The Critical Importance of Addressing Chronic Absence in the Early Grades
Hedy N. Chang | Mariajosé Romero

Using Study Circles to Engage Racially Diverse Parents, Staff, and Students in Dialogue and Problem Solving
Engaging families from all racial and ethnic backgrounds is challenging in diverse schools. Cultural differences, language barriers, and stereotypes often add to the difficulty of getting input and involvement from all stakeholders. To address these challenges, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) developed a program called Study Circles which combines vigorous outreach, facilitated dialogue, and collaborative action. Learn more.

101 Ways to Create Real Family Engagement
Many schools and districts have proclaimed their "strategies for family engagement" and set about "doing things" but they have not succeeded in engaging all families. At best, many have merely increased the engagement of the already engaged.

Author Steve Constantino addresses the cultural revolution that must first occur, along with providing strategies and exercises that help schools begin making the tough cultural changes. Readers then learn how to build on that new cultural foundation and create the relationships that motivate family involvement, and ultimately create family engagement. The book contains more than 100 tested ways to create REAL family engagement. More information.

New edition of National Network of Partnership Schools handbook is ready for distribution from the publisher: Epstein, J. L. et al. (2009). School, family, and community partnerships: Your handbook for action, third edition and CD. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. See flyer for details.