As families and communities, we entrust schools with our "great resource and tangible investment in the future: our children" (Melaville & Blank, 1998). Yet educators alone cannot help children develop all the knowledge, attitudes, and skills that will need to become productive citizens and caring individuals. Education to prepare students for the challenges of the 21st century requires families, school, and communities together to meet these needs. This session will present evidence-based practices and strategies utilized by a variety of schools nationwide to promote family involvement in children's education, including creating family-friendly school environments, developing family-friendly communication, supporting family involvement efforts on the homefront, and creating effective family-school-community partnerships. Highlights of Educating Our Children Together: A Sourcebook for Effective Family-School-Community Partnerships, published by CADRE in 2004, will be presented and discussed by participants. Research from the past decade demonstrating the positive impact of family involvement in education on student outcomes will also be shared.

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