Presents an introduction to the articles included in the present issue of "The School Community Journal". This issue of the journal begins with an article by Allen and Chavkin (see record 2004-21844-002) that holds out much hope for cash-strapped schools who want to help their students succeed at a critical time in their development. Community volunteers provided tutoring to middle school students who were failing or at risk of failing classes, cited as a key indicator for dropout risks. Adler (see record 2004-21844-005) gives an interesting look into one school community and the challenges they face in being sensitive and responsive to a unique cultural group, the Hmong. She highlights the conflicts between the perceptions of various groups within the school community. The final article is a program report describing a parent education program that focuses on promoting student achievement. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved)