Parental Involvement By: Mike McDaniels, Brittany Broughton, Rachel Brosted, Amy Barden, and Jessica Bailey

What Is Parental Involvement? Time spent with the child and/or teacher over class work, homework, schooling, etc.

What Parental Involvement Includes Helping the child with homework Modeling desired behavior Participating in school activities Attending school conferences Providing encouragement at home

Why It Is Important It affects student achievement –43% of students with both parents involved in their education get mostly A’s in their classes. –Only 10% of students with both parents involved will repeat a grade level. It affects student attitude and behavior –Only 13% of students with both parents involved will be suspended or expelled from school.

Importance of Parental Involvement

Parental Involvement Everyone knows that strong parental involvement is essential for school success, but it’s still a challenge with getting parents more involved in their children’s education. According to the most recent MetLife Survey of the American Teacher, teachers and principals agree on the importance of parental involvement - 71% of principals and 59% of teachers called it a priority - yet also express frustration.

School and Home Together Rich Bagin, a National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) executive director states: “…just about everyone had said that parents can make a huge difference in student achievement when schools and homes are working together in a collaborative and competent approach to education.”

Research and Stereotypes The parent rating of involvement tended to be higher than the teacher ratings. Parents rated their involvement in educational activities at home higher than the teachers. Parents with different levels of education do not report different levels of involvement in the school careers of their children. Teachers appear to hold a rather stereotyped image of the involvement of parents in the children’s education.

Socioeconomic Status (SES) Research results are mixed Some research has found SES and parental involvement to be positively related. –Lack of time, transportation, and child care. Other research has found that SES variables do not directly explain the large variability of involvement. –Parents’ self reported level of resources was unrelated to all types of involvement. When parents perceive their participation is desired by teachers, they find ways to be involved regardless of their resources.

Age Difference Research Parental involvement decreases as children age, both by grade level and by differences in school structures. Developmental reasons support the decline. Teachers and schools can create different ways for parents to be involved as students age.

Percentages of Students With Different Types of Parents

Percentage of Students By Mothers’ and Fathers’ Involvement in School

Effects Academic Success –Parents high involvement increases the odds that students living with both biological parents, mothers only or fathers only, do well in school. –Involvement in stepmother families does not significantly affect the odds that students get mostly A’s. –In stepfather families, involvement is important for academic success. Repeated Grades –It is fathers’ involvement in two-biological-parent families that reduces the odds of students’ ever repeating a grade. –Living in stepfather families increases the odds of students repeating a grade. –Involvement in stepmother families or in father-only families does not significantly affects the odds that students’ will repeated a grade. –Mothers’ moderate and high involvement reduces the odds that students in mother-only families will ever repeated a grade.

Subject Knowledge Parent’s are more likely to be involved if they are comfortable with the subject or situation. Parents are motivated to engage in involvement activities if they believe they have skills and knowledge that will be helpful in specific domains of the activity.

Time Factor Parents’ involvement is also influenced by their time and energy. Parents’ whose employment is relatively demanding and inflexible tend to be less involved than parents whose jobs or life circumstances are more flexible. Parents with multiple child-care or extended family responsibilities may also be less involved.

Parent’s Knowledge of Experience Parents who have higher educational aspirations for their children appear to be more involved Parents tend to be more involved with their child’s issues rather than with general school issues Parents’ involvement may be factored by previous school experiences Parent’s with negative schooling experiences may view their children’s school experience more negatively

Benefits of Parent Involvement Higher grades Higher test scores Higher graduation rates Better school attendance Increased motivation Improved self-esteem Lower rates of suspension Decreased use of drugs and alcohol Fewer instances of violent behavior Greater enrollment rate in postsecondary education

Barriers Due To Parental Involvement Lack of knowledge about how to help with schoolwork Negative attitudes about school Lack of time and money, poverty, single parenthood, non-English literacy, cultural gaps between home and school Lack of teacher training in parent involvement Teachers’ negative attitudes and inaccurate assumptions about parents

Legislation About Parent Involvement Legislation has been enacted at both federal and state levels of government to encourage greater parent participation in schooling, and the goal of parent involvement is included in nearly every policy aimed at improving student performance

Roles of Schools The problem is not a lack of desire for parent involvement; the problem is that most schools are unsure how to involve parents and how to translate parent involvement into student achievement

Learning How To Interact There are now options for teachers to take classes on how to interact with parents. This results in a greater amount of trust by the parents and greater involvement at home and at school. With these specialized classes, teachers are educated with how to deal with issues that families deal with and how to handle these situations.

Parent/Teacher Contact Initiate contact early with parents Help lessen parents anxiety Establishes expectations Offer insight into students needs and concerns

Teacher Expectations Maintain regular communication Allow for regular parent input When, Where, and How you can be reached Expectations and discipline practices How will you contact in case of a serious problem Prevents misunderstandings

Parent/Teacher Conference Conferencing: Most effective way to talk to parents BE POSITIVE! Be an active listener Schedule face-to-face meetings to accommodate parents schedule Telephone Good way to communicate BE POSITIVE!

Parent/Teacher Conference Written Normally something routine Projects, take home folder, report card, etc Document! Document! Document! Keep a file of regular communication between you and the parents

Trouble Communicating? Parents won’t communicate back? Be persistent Be positive