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Welcome Parents

The AFT believes that a strong partnership between schools and parents is essential to the academic well-being of students. When school staff and parents work together to reinforce high standards of conduct and achievement, the result is a school that "works," a learning environment that promotes success.

In this special section of our Web site, we present information on topics that parents frequently ask us about, as well and ideas about how families can help their children be successful in school--from improving homework time to selecting rigorous courses. We hope you'll find these resources useful and welcome ideas for additional topics.

Young man holding trophy Self-esteem and achievement: A weak link

• Adolescent literature: Too much tragedy?
• Does technology hurt student writing?
• More hot topics

• The pros and cons
• ED's latest report
• NAEP results mirror earlier reports

Boy doing homework See how you can help your children with their homework.

• Does K-5 homework mean higher test scores?
• How much is too much?

Research now shows that a child who doesn't learn the reading basics early is unlikely to learn them at all.

• The importance of high-quality reading instruction

girl working What should we expect of our students and our schools?

• A q&a on high standards
• Hard work matters most for college success
• Track your state's efforts to implement strong standards

Why a good school environment is essential to learning

• Poor physical plant affects achievement, discipline
• It's in the air: common health problems in poorly maintained schools
• Too much noise linked to poor test scores

Just for Parents

are you the TV boss?
The Ad Council advises parents to "be the boss of what your kids watch." For more information on how to help your kids make the right TV watching decisions, visit www.TheTVBoss.org.

stop for the bus
Check out your state law on stopping for school buses.

hard work pays: what you have to do in high school to get the life you want
This booklet provides middle-school students with information about what they need to do in high school to turn their aspirations for college or a good job into reality.

pathways to success
This brochure provides handy information on key issues affecting schools and their children's education, the roles and responsibilities of the school system, and helpful academic tips for every grade from prekindergarten through grade 12. English|Spanish

helping your child series
This series of booklets, co-published with the U.S. Department of Education, includes practical suggestions and activities parents can use at home with their children to help them succeed in school:

• Helping Your Child Become a Reader, English|Spanish

• Helping Your Preschool Child, English|Spanish

helping your child succeed
• What Parents & Families Can Do At Home to Help Their Children Meet High Standards

• How Parents Can Work With Schools and Communities to Help Their Children Meet High Standards

• How Parents & Families Can Communicate Better with Teachers and School Staff

home team learning
Home is a child's first school. Already your children have learned a lot at home that will help them in school. But they can do even better if you spend a little time each day on reading, writing and math activities like the ones in this pamphlet.

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