School, Family, and Community Partnerships : Preparing Educators and Improving Schools

School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Preparing Educators and Improving Schools, 3rd Edition prepares future teachers and administrators to conduct effective and equitable programs of family and community engagement that contribute to student success in school. Renowned authors Joyce L. Epstein and Steven B. Sheldon present the theories, research, policies, and practices that have been shown to improve the design and conduct of partnership programs in diverse communities and at all grade levels. Chapters include a historic overview of early research, recent studies with advanced methods, and many examples of research-based approaches for district leadership and school improvement. All chapters include discussion questions and classroom assignments that professors may use to provoke thinking and help future educators understand that family and community engagement is part of their professional work.

New in this 3rd Edition:

• Updated, streamlined readings make it easy for students to explore early, influential studies that framed the field and recent studies of multilevel effects of leadership for partnerships.
• Comments, discussion topics, and classroom activities challenge students to think deeply about many aspects and issues of school, family, and community partnerships.
• Interview assignments enable students to hear the voices and views on partnerships of practicing educators, parents, students, and others in the community.
• Readings and activities across chapters help colleges and universities meet new standards of the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) for graduates to "demonstrate their ability to effectively work with diverse P-12 students and their families."

After decades of research and exemplary practice that confirm that family and community engagement is an essential component of good school organization, most new teachers and administrators still are unprepared to partner with all families to support student learning and development. This book will help professors in Schools, Colleges, and Departments of Education (SCDE) prepare their graduates to understand, organize, and continually improve partnership programs in all schools, with all families, and for all students.

Joyce L. Epstein is Professor of Education and Director of the Center on School, Family, and Community Partnerships and National Network of Partnership Schools at Johns Hopkins University, USA.

Steven B. Sheldon is Associate Professor of Education and Associate Director of the Center on School, Family, and Community Partnerships at Johns Hopkins University School, USA.