A Match on Dry Grass: Community Organizing as a Catalyst for School Reform

The persistent failure of public schooling in low-income communities constitutes one of our nation's most pressing civil rights and social justice issues. Many school reformers recognize that poverty, racism, and a lack of power held by these communities undermine children's education and development, but few know what to do about it. A Match on Dry Grass argues that community organizing represents a fresh and promising approach to school reform as part of a broader agenda to build power for low-income communities and address the profound social inequalities that affect the education of children. Based on a comprehensive national study, the book presents rich and compelling case studies of prominent organizing efforts in Chicago, New York City, Los Angeles, Denver, San Jose, and the Mississippi Delta. The authors show how organizing groups build the participation and leadership of parents and students so they can become powerful actors in school improvement efforts. They also identify promising ways to overcome divisions and create the collaborations between educators and community residents required for deep and sustainable school reform. Identifying the key processes that create strong connections between schools and communities, Warren, Mapp, and their collaborators show how community organizing builds powerful relationships that lead to the transformational change necessary to advance educational equity and a robust democracy.

Politics & Social Sciences

Mapp, Karen L.

Warren, Mark R.

Social Sciences

Oxford University Press

Review\n“Everyone Wins! offers good news to educators and reinforces what we already know. When we engage families in their children’s education, we gain valuable information to help motivate students and give educators the tools to reach all students right where they are. That’s not just what educators are trained to do; it’s what they love to do. When schools embrace their families and community, they become welcoming and nurturing environments for everyone to learn and work.” 
—BECKY PRINGLE, President, National Education Association\n“Educating students to their full potential requires active partnerships with families and communities. In this highly readable, indispensable book, the authors provide a guide for education leaders to leverage evidence, craft transformative policies, and promote high-impact practices that make a difference for all students, educators, and families.” 
—CHARLENE M. RUSSELL-TUCKER, Commissioner of Education, Connecticut State Department of Education\n“The evidence is clear, and the authors’ analysis of it is excellent. Scores of studies across grade levels show that well-designed and well-implemented partnership programs create more welcoming schools, collaborative teachers, confident parents, and—most important—successful students. It is time to implement strong and sustainable partnership programs in all schools, with all families, for the success of all students.” 
—JOYCE L. EPSTEIN, Professor of Education and Director, National Network of Partnership Schools, Johns Hopkins University\n“I’m so excited to endorse this omnibus ignitor that will spark effective partnerships to ensure every child has the opportunity to succeed! I have seen so many failed attempts to ride, what we refer to as, the family engagement rollercoaster. Everyone Wins! shows how important we all are to the success of all children and is what parent advocates have been seeking for a very long time!” 
—ROSAZLIA GRILLIER, President Emeritus, COFI/Power PAC-IL\n“Everyone Wins! is the guide to moving schools towards equity and justice through powerful forms of family and community engagement. It features the most up-to-date research, a critically minded perspective, and powerful stories of building equitable partnerships, all in accessible language and with practical advice. Get this book, read it, and use it!” 
— MARK WARREN, Professor of Public Policy and Public Affairs, University of Massachusetts, Boston\n“This outstanding resource builds upon the evidence that when families are empowered as true partners in their children’s education, students thrive, schools become stronger, and the whole community benefits. It is an essential guide for anyone who has a stake in student success, challenging us to build equitable family engagement practices.” 
— AMBIKA KAPUR, Program Officer, National Program, Carnegie Corporation of New York 
“Everyone Wins! effectively summarizes the evidence, documenting what’s at stake for everyone, regardless of role. At a time when implementing evidence-based practices in a variety of contexts is critical, this book is an important resource for educators and all who value strong family-school-community partnerships.” 
— S. KWESI ROLLINS, Vice President for Leadership & Engagement, Institute for Educational Leadership\n“This timely volume offers indispensable syntheses and guidance from the expansive research on family engagement. Educators and families at all levels will find crucial ways forward for partnering to support learning and foster the equitable education our children and youth deserve.” 
— ANN ISHIMARU, Associate Professor of Education, University of Washington\n“Mapp and Henderson (and colleagues) have done it again. They present a compelling case for family-school partnerships by examining benefits to students, families, educators, and schools. A sharp focus on equity and a plethora of practical guidance make Everyone Wins! a seminal must-read for all who care about student success.” 
— HOLLY KRE

Everyone Wins!: The Evidence for Family-School Partnerships and Implications for Practice

Education & Teaching

Cuevas, Stephany

Henderson, Anne

Franco, Martha

Ewert, Suzanna

Schools & Teaching

Scholastic Professional

Countless studies demonstrate that students with parents actively involved in their education at home and school are more likely to earn higher grades and test scores, enroll in higher-level programs, graduate from high school, and go on to post-secondary education. Beyond the Bake Sale shows how to form these essential partnerships and how to make them work. Packed with tips from principals and teachers, checklists, and an invaluable resource section, Beyond the Bake Sale reveals how to build strong collaborative relationships and offers practical advice for improving interactions between parents and teachers, from insuring that PTA groups are constructive and inclusive to navigating the complex issues surrounding diversity in the classroom. Written with candor, clarity, and humor, Beyond the Bake Sale is essential reading for teachers, parents on the front lines in public schools, and administrators and policy makers at all levels.

Beyond the Bake Sale: The Essential Guide to Family/school Partnerships

Henderson, Anne T.

Johnson, Vivian R.

Davies, Don

The New Press

Achieving Coherence in District Improvement: Managing the Relationship Between the Central Office and Schools

Achieving Coherence in District Improvement focuses on a problem of practice faced by educational leaders across the nation: how to effectively manage the relationship between the central office and schools. The book is based on a study of five large urban districts that have demonstrated improvement in student achievement. The authors—all members of Harvard University’s Public Education Leadership Project (PELP)—argue that there is no “one best way” to structure the central office-school relationship. Instead, they say, what matters is whether district leaders effectively select and implement their strategy by achieving coherence among key elements and actors—the district’s environment, resources, systems, structures, stakeholders, and culture. The authors examine the five districts’ approaches in detail and point to a number of important findings. First, they emphasize that a clear, shared understanding of decision rights in key areas—academic programming, budgeting, and staffing—is essential to developing an effective central office-school relationship. Second, they stress the importance of building mutually supportive and trusting relationships between district leaders and principals. Third, they highlight the ways that culture and the external environment influence the relationship between the central office and schools. Each chapter also provides relevant “Lessons for Practice”—actionable takeaways—that educational leaders from any district can use successfully to improve the central office-school relationship.

Johnson, Susan Moore

Marietta, Geoff

Higgins, Monica C.

Grossman, Allen S.

Harvard Education Press

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