Together the two Kaunakakai Elementary School teachers created FACT, the Families and Classroom Teachers program, and for the past two years they have been visiting their students' homes a couple times a year.

"We try to bring supplies: a dictionary, pencils, crayons and all of the stuff they might need to do homework," DeCourcy said.

The majority of students at the small Moloka'i school come from low-income families.

The teachers also offer monthly workshops for parents, featuring make-and-take craft activities and strategies to help their children master what they're learning in class.

Since 2002, the program has led to increased parent participation at school and brought in more than $15,000 in grants. This year it has expanded to almost every classroom.

The goal is to provide learning tools and enrichment activities so learning can continue at home.

For example, in math workshops parents learn about the standards, then are offered games they can take home and play with their children. "They are interactive ways the parent can help teach their children," DeCourcy said.

At least half the parents come to each workshop, DeCourcy said.

Parent Cathleen Shimizu-Sakamoto, whose son was in Busby's class for three years, said, "I think it's a great program. They provide a lot of information and tell you how to help your child at home."

She is impressed that the teachers spend their own time visiting their students' homes, and even give parents their home phone numbers for after-hours questions.

"I commend them for that," she said. "They already have a busy schedule throughout the day."

Sakamoto said that when her son moved into fourth grade, his new teacher, Jennifer Wada, was struck by her students' positive attitudes and decided to participate in the program, too.

Wada was surprised at the beginning of the year when more than half the parents introduced themselves to her and offered their assistance, with many staying and helping out in the classroom. In addition, she said, not only do students turn in homework with more regularity, but the quality is better since their parents were willing to help them.

"I can only attribute these changes to the interest level and involvement of parents instilled through the FACT program over these past two years," she said.

The program has been so successful that during the past school year, all classes from kindergarten through third grade participated. This year, thanks to an $11,700 grant form the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation, all the school's teachers can participate if they wish.

The Castle grant also means that teachers no longer will have to pay for the workshops from their own pockets. Previously only supplies were covered by a $1,600 Good Idea Grant from the Public Schools of Hawai'i and a $2,000 National Education Association grant.

The teachers still don't get compensated for their time, though. "It's all voluntary, but the majority of the staff decided to do it," DeCourcy said.