What does the literature say about the three cross-cutting themes?
Context. Partnerships and programs operate within the rich contextual environment of schools and school districts. The literature reveals that these contextual factors serve asparameters within which school/family and community partnerships function. Four levels of policy influence and inform these partnerships: • School policies that exist as “stand alone” documents, or policies that are subsumed under a larger district policy framework; • District policies, often linked to state and federal initiatives, that support school/family and community partnerships; • State policies that reflect the urgency to use the resources of home and community to ensure student success; and • Federal policies that provide a template for other efforts that are intended to guarantee the involvement of parents, families, and communities in schooling. Across all levels and organizational structures of schooling, the literature identifies two factors that either positively or negatively influence school/fami
