Greetings to the list!

August 1 will be here all too soon and we wanted to encourage you to begin
thinking about submitting a proposal to the AERA Family-School-Community
Partnerships SIG. The theme for the 2003 meeting in Chicago is
"Accountability for Educational Quality: Shared Responsibility."

How might we as a SIG examine the role of families, communities, and
partnerships in shared accountability? How might we respond to the
challenge of the recent literature synthesis by SEDL's National Center for
Family and Community Connections with Schools for more precise
definitions, process-based methods, and theory development in our field,
as well as more research on family-school connections with culturally
diverse families, homework, school reform, educational transitions, and
teacher preparation?

We also invite proposals that perhaps tie in with other SIGs so we can
explore the possibility of co-sponsorship and draw a larger, more diverse
audience. Of course, we welcome any proposals that relate to our SIG's
purpose: to promote the study and dissemination of research on family
processes and home, school, and community relationships that support
children's education and development. Please note that it is often
difficult to accommodate multiple author proposals like symposiums or
panels due to the small number of session slots we are allocated by AERA,
unless the proposals are especially compelling and well-conceived.

Once again, AERA SIGs will be using the electronic submissions and
communication system at www.tigersystem.net/aera2002/ beginning in early
June. Please use the system to submit your proposal by the August 1, 2002
deadline and to check on its status; no emailed or FAXed proposals will be
accepted. You can also use the system to register as a reviewer, chair, or
discussant (information to follow).

Mary Ann Burke, Pam Kay and myself will be handling the proposal process
this year. If you have questions, PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THE LIST; please
contact Co-chair Mary Ann Burke at [log in to unmask] until September 1;
thereafter, please contact me at [log in to unmask] Looking forward to
hearing from many of you!

Yours,
Susan Auerbach
Program Chair
AERA Family-School-Community Partnerships SIG