ABSTRACT
In the past decade, attention has focused on improving schools to maintain U.S. leadership and competitiveness in a global economy. In addition to concerns about the quality of students' skills for occupations that will determine the nation's success in the twenty-first century, there are concerns about the growing social and economic problems faced by families in this country. There are more families in which both parents are employed during the school day; more young, single parents, many of whom work outside the home; more children in poverty; and more family mobility during the school years. At the same time, there are proportionally fewer federally subsidized social programs for the number of children, families, and communities in need of assistance. These factors increase the importance of good school programs for students and the need to redesign policies and practices that link schools, families, and communities.
