Technical Assistance for the Military Child Initiative is provided to help school districts and schools that serve large numbers of children from military families to develop excellent programs of school, family, and community partnerships. Established by Dr. Joyce L. Epstein in 1996, the National Network of Partnership Schools (NNPS) assists schools, districts, and states to strengthen programs of schools, districts, and states to strengthen programs of school family, and community partnerships. Each Partnership School uses an action team approach, writes goal oriented plans, and selects practices from a reserach-based framework of six types of involvement. Districts and states are guided to assist schools in developing and sustaining excellent partnership programs. These programs fulfill requirements for parental involvement Section 118 of the No Child Left Behind Act. Districts, schools, and cooperating military bases are invited to work with the NNPS to develop effective programs of school, family, and community partnerships. District leaders for partnership programs will be assisted, step by step, to help their elementary, middle, and high schools strengthen and sustain programs of family and community involvement. Each school will have an Action Team for Partnerships of teachers, parents, the principal, and other community partners as a committee of the school council or improvement teach. Annual plans for partnerships will link family and community involvement to school improvement for student success. Research shows that comprehensive partnership programs create a welcoming school climate for students, educators, parents, and the community. Strong partnerships help more students increase acheivement and improve attendance, behavior, homework completion, post secondary education planning, personal talents, and other indicators. | 
