Parents and family are every child's first educators, but their importance often goes unrecognised by the formal school system. As education -- and the qualifications it offers -- becomes ever more important, the realisation is growing in many OECD countries that close co-operation between family and school helps children to learn more effectively. At the same time, a general shift towards decentralisation and local accountability means that many governments are aiming to give parents a more effective voice -- perhaps by involving them in policy-making, or in school governance, or in supporting teachers in the classroom. Although not a panacea, the examples in this report suggest that partnerships between parents and educators can raise achievement levels -- both in children and, in some cases, the parents themselves.
This report focuses on policy and practice in nine OECD countries: Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Spain, the United Kingdom (England and Wales) and the United States.