Family and Community Engagement

This report from the National Center on Time & Learning discusses key practices in optimizing increased learning time. The authors surveyed 30 high-performing schools, including 11 high schools, with longer school days and/or years and identified eight “powerful practices” of using increased learning time to improve student performance and engagement. The report provides case study illustrations to show school-level implementation for each of the eight practices.

This report introduces additional National Center for Education Statistics survey data that compiles general descriptive information provided by ninth graders’ parents and school staff. The study sample included 21,000 ninth graders in 944 schools nationwide. Results for parent education greatly varied, as did their educational aspirations for their children, and around a quarter of parents planned to pay for their child’s education but had not yet saved.

This report discusses barriers to high school graduation rates and college readiness for Latinas. The author examines the challenges facing Latinos to achieve a high school degree and continuing on to higher education. The resource provides recommendations for federal, state, and local policy makers including additional funding, providing mentors, and ensuring that the school environment is culturally inclusive.

This MDRC resource provides an overview of the College Match Program which has been designed to support students who may not plan to attend college or may plan to attend a less competitive (academically) college, and who are prepared for college. The program is designed to support students who may not have resources of parents/households with information about college and particularly how to make decisions about the best college that fits students needs (academically, financially and socially).

This study examined the relationship between social networking and academic performance in high school and college enrollment trends among white and Hispanic youth. The analysis used longitudinal data from a representative sample of high school seniors in the state of Texas. Time spent on homework and social networking, especially interactions with high school counselors, predicted college enrollment of Hispanic female students. Grade point average and taking college preparation courses predicted college enrollment of white female students.

This report from the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University discusses the findings of a qualitative study of 13 New York City schools that have experienced success in improving student outcomes. Through interviews with school administrators, faculty, and staff, the authors discerned four effective practices or key strategies that were shared among the 13 successful schools. These include: academic rigor, networks of timely supports, college expectations and access, and effective use of data.

This brief from CLASP discusses six promising programs that show how career pathway bridges help lower-skilled students move farther and faster along college and career paths through dual enrollment in linked basic skills and occupational certificate courses. The brief finds that these bridges both engage instructors and administrators and bring basic skills students into the mainstream of colleges. Finally, it is asserted that at minimum, career pathways bridges should create shorter, more relevant paths to credentials that matter in the local economy.

This study examines the types of sources of information and approaches students use when making their decisions regarding postsecondary education, and the roles other individuals play and paths they follow regarding this decision. Information gathered from a literature review and 11 focus groups with 90 participants in eight states revealed that there was a lack of knowledge and about resources and general information on postsecondary education.

This study uses descriptive case studies of 15 high schools in five states to determine the effects of parental involvement on school context and college opportunity. Three common themes were identified in the case studies analyzed: (a) parents shape college opportunity for their children, but involvement varies based on socioeconomic status; (b) parental involvement is shaped by, and also shapes, the school context for college opportunity; and (c) parental involvement is also shaped by their knowledge of the higher education opportunities in their state.