ABSTRACT
This chapter examines theories of family and school connections, discusses how data support or refute different theoretical perspectives, and presents a new theoretical model—overlapping spheres of influence—to explain and guide research on school, family, and community partnerships. It explains the organizational and interpersonal components of the theory of overlapping spheres of influence and how this perspective extends previous theoretical models. The chapter also guides future educators and researchers in how to think about, talk about, and study school, family, and community partnerships. Three perspectives guide researchers and practitioners in their thinking about family and school relations: separate responsibilities of families and schools; shared responsibilities of families and schools; and sequential responsibilities of families and schools. Schools' and families' interactions need to fit the age, grade level, and level of social and cognitive development of the children. A family builds a changing, cumulative history of relationships with the school for each child in attendance.
