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Connection Collection

Annotation from the Connection Collection

You are viewing a record from the Connection Collection, a searchable annotated bibliography database. It links you with research-based information that you can use to connect schools, families, and communities.

Annotation:
The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of nonprofit organizations in strengthening family involvement in education. The authors argue that intermediary organizations play a crucial role in capacity-building for family involvement by providing alternatives to school-centered approaches and by engaging families with intensive support that schools seldom offer. The research is presented in a framework of capacity-building at the individual, organizational, and relational levels. Results indicated that to promote individual capacity organizations ensured that parents could advocate for their child, navigate the school system and promote parent involvement. To promote relational capacity, organizations redefined parent roles and partnered with parents who had not previously participated in an involvement program. To promote organizational capacity organizations developed support systems and created cross-site networks. The organizations capture and disseminate lessons learned and then use those lessons in improvements, expansion, and replications. The data come from three years of technical assistance and documentation with four nonprofit organizations focused on family-school partnerships. The four organizations included the following: The Alliance for Children and Families; The National Coalition of Advocates for Students (NCAS); The Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence; and Right Question Project (RQP). Data included interviews with national administrators; observations of trainings; and focus groups with practitioners, school personnel, and parents. This study provides information about how intermediary organizations can help schools, parents, and community-based organizations in their support of family involvement by providing tools, training, and technical assistance. This article represents a cross-case analysis of the key themes. As case study research, it is difficult to generalize results across populations or make causal conclusions.

Suggested Citation Style:

• Lopez, M. E., Dreider, H., & Coffman, J. (2005). Intermediary organizations as capacity builders in family educational involvement. Urban Education, 40(1), 78-105.