If parents are going to help their children succeed academically, they need to be familiar with the content students are expected to learn.

In the Jefferson County (Kentucky) Public Schools, district leaders borrow an approach from a popular game show and ask parents to answer sample questions from state-level assessments students would take. "This [column] gives parents an idea of what the test is like," says Stephanie Bateman, Director of Communications for the district.

The column, titled "Are You Smarter than an 8th Grader?", is a regular feature in Parent Connection, a newsletter published by the district and mailed to 63,000 households and 7,000 community groups in Louisville.

"We want to provide information on exceptional teaching and learning," Bateman says. "The newsletter includes a mix of different kinds of stories. It's filled with practical tips to help parents help their children." And, while teachers share their expertise with parents, those parents, in turn, have become a great source for story ideas, Bateman observes.

Each issue of the newsletter, which is also available online (at http://www.jefferson.k12.ky.us/Pubs/ParentConnection/welcome.shtml) costs the district roughly $3,200 to produce, but Bateman insists that it's money well-spent. "People look forward to receiving Parent Connection," she states. Through the newsletter, "we showcase the good things going on in the district--our success is public knowledge."

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