Families in Schools: A Chorus of Voices in Restructuring

Families in Schools is a rich and highly credible account of what is possible when schools and families become partners in school restructuring. It is a book that will change the way educators and parents relate, revealing some new understandings of how to involve parents in more meaningful ways.

This book reflects the experiences of teachers, site administrators, and especially parents--all of whom collaborated in the Accelerated Schools Project, a systematic restructuring process involving several different schools. In Part I of the book, the authors speak with some of the teachers and principals and consider why some schools were more successful than others in developing powerful learning environments and in empowering teachers and parents. Part II takes an in-depth look at the four schools that made the most substantial inroads in parent involvement, providing parent interviews and case studies. Part III proposes a set of lessons derived from the participants' experiences--valuable information for school communities attempting to encourage parent involvement or interested in assessing their own experiences.

The authors found that the capacity to reflect critically and openly, by parents and educators alike, plays a more critical role than any particular set of tactics. They also found that the caring voices that the parents contributed to the conversation were a crucial force in the restructuring process. This book invites others to join the conversation and explore all that they can achieve when they work together.