Chapter 1: Understanding Family and Community Inclusion and Engagement

The importance of social support in the form of family and community involvement in education has implications, particularly in terms of student achievement. The gap in student achievement between advantaged and disadvantaged groups is widening (Davies, 2002), and schools are finding it increasingly difficult to create educational programs to address the diverse needs of the students within the geographic community they serve (Merz & Furman, 1997). Moreover, schools cannot close the gaps in academic achievement alone (Davies, 2002). Partnerships between schools, families and communities may serve to provide a support net for each student. Such support is characterized by caring environments that place the students’ interests as the focal point for partnership efforts.