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ED408094 PS025528
Title:
Improving School Climate: Creating a Circle of Communication between
Educators and Families.
Author(s): Allen, Sharon M.; And Others
Pages: 36
Publication Date: March 1997
Notes: Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American
Education Research Association (Chicago, IL, March 24-28, 1997).
Available from: EDRS Price MF01/PC02 Plus Postage.
Language: English
Document Type: Reports--Research (143); Speeches/meeting
papers (150)
Geographic Source: U.S.; South Dakota
Journal Announcement: RIEOCT1997
This study
used an ethnographic approach to evaluate the impact of the South
Dakota Head Start/Public School Transition Demonstration Project
on school climate and parent involvement, focusing on the impact
of family service coordinators. The demonstration group was composed
of children and families who received comprehensive Head Start-like
services in addition to educational services, and the comparison
group consisted of children and families who received only educational
services. Eight family service coordinators maintained routine contacts
with families and schools and provided services directly to families
or through referral to other agencies. Comprehensive services included
health, parent involvement, social, and educational services related
to transition from preschool to the public elementary school. Data
were collected in the spring of each year since 1993 from 200 of
the 425 children in 2 cohorts who have received services. Data were
also collected through structured interviews and participant observation.
Results suggested that the family service coordinators have been
instrumental in creating a more open climate in demonstration schools.
Parents have become more involved in their children's education,
have improved interactions with school personnel, and have become
more comfortable in the schools. Because the school climate has
become more open, demonstration parents/caregivers have had more
input into policy and school activity decisions than comparison
parents/caregivers. (Contains about 66 references.) (KB)
Descriptors: Comparative Analysis; Early Childhood Education;
*Educational Environment; Ethnography; Family School Relationship;
*Parent School Relationship; Parent Teacher Cooperation; Participant
Observation; Program Evaluation; Public Schools; *Transitional Programs
Identifiers: Project Head Start; South Dakota
