A Cord of Three Strands: A New Approach to Parent Engagement in Schools

How can low-income, non-English-speaking parents become advocates, leaders, and role models in their children’s schools? A Cord of Three Strands offers a close study of the Logan Square Neighborhood Association, a grassroots organization on the northwest side of Chicago, whose work on parent engagement has drawn national attention. The author identifies three elements—induction, integration, and investment—that together capture the dynamic and developmental nature of successful parent engagement. Writing with both optimism and urgency, author Soo Hong offers richly detailed portraits of parents’ experiences and addresses the complex and sometime conflicting relationships among school, family, and community.