Children’s education is an area of concern for parents, teachers and society, who need to investigate collaboratively in developing effective partnership strategies that best contribute to the intellectual and social development of children. Extensive international research conducted on family-school-community partnerships has shown that schooling does not always contribute to prevent social inequality; it may maintain and reproduce the current social differences in status among citizens. It is not surprising, therefore, that many children at risk of school failure and dropping out come from disadvantaged families. Schools alone cannot always provide all pupils with the personal and cultural competences needed to be successful within the educational system. However, creating a positive learning environment at home and at school, including encouraging positive attitudes towards education and high expectations of children’s success, has a powerful impact on student achievement.The papers included in this symposium address complementary areas at creating this positive environment for children’s development and school achievement: Dr. Williams and Dr. Freeman (USA) state that parents want to know how their children are performing in school so the information collected and presented to them is of great interest. Their study provides an overview of what parents and teachers should understand about standardized assessment, and the implications of effective collaboration. Partnerships efforts may empower students, parents, teachers, and communities in understanding and using assessment knowledge to further educational goals. Dr. Rodrigo and Rodríguez (Spain) focus on analyzing the school as a complex social organization characterized by the existence of social relationship between different groups, and as such, by the presence of conflicts. This paper focuses on the school conflicts from the developmental and transactional point of view, taking them as good opportunities for the adolescents´ development of the ability to negotiate, promote mutual understanding, and responsibility. The main objective of this research is to analyze the students´ participation in six highly frequent and emotional intense school conflicts (three between students and three between students and teachers), and the use of the strategies in the resolution of these conflicts. Dr. Martínez-González (Spain) and Dr. Symeou (Cyprus) present a comparative study between Spain and Cyprus on family involvement in the education of their teenagers at risk of dropping out from compulsory secondary school. The study points to the lack of support these families face to advice and stimulate their children at home, and to the need to promote school-family partnerships. Dr. Paik (USA) provides a comparative look at parent involvement and schooling in Korea and the United States with the idea that understanding the context of diverse parents, teachers and communities may provide insight in parental involvement and family-school partnerships. The study highlights the need for early intervention, practices in the home and school, and collaborative efforts. Dr.Bartau and de la Caba (Spain) assess an educational program for improving the socio-personal development of children living in situations of social vulnerability, and the parenting skills of their parents. Improvements were found in the children’s emotional and cooperation skills, as well as in parents’ ability to respond to their children’s needs. This educational intervention helped to develop values such as ‘learn to care for’ in contexts of social vulnerability.

Both qualitative and quantitave methodologies are described in the papers presented at the symposium. Questionaires, interviews and diaries are mentioned.

The symposium highlights the need for early interventions and practices in the home and school, and also the convenience to develop collaborative efforts to empower students, parents, teachers, and communities in understanding educational practices and goals. Many families of dropout children lack of support to advice and stimulate their children at home. Understanding the context of diverse parents, teachers and communities may provide insight in parental involvement and family-school partnerships. Improvements need to be introduced in the emotional and cooperation skills of the children as well as in their parents’ ability to respond to their children’s needs. Educational interventions help to promote school-family partnerships in contexts of social vulnerability which contribute to children’s development and school achievement.