Children Are the Future: Get Involved

Collective research focusing on family-school partnerships provide an extensive examination of parent involvement. Smith et al., (2011) referred to parent involvement as school, family, and community partnerships for the purpose of shared expectations, responsibilities, interests, and correlating influences of family, school, and community. Epstein’s (2008) framework of parent involvement approached parent involvement typologies from an institutional perspective; the framework for this literature review was conducted with a parental perspective that may positively affect academic achievement among students in 6th – 12th grades attending high poverty, rural schools. An explanation of Epstein’s six categories of parent involvement follows:

How does parent involvement affect children’s academic success in low socioeconomic areas? Does socioeconomic status and parental involvement play a major role in the academic success of teens? Many reasons can contribute to the low level of success of some teens. The thrilling memoir, The Other Wes Moore, provides readers with two scenarios, one resulting in success, and one resulting in failure. Teen’s who are raised in low socioeconomic areas, and who have a minimal level of parental involvement, tend to perform poorly in academic settings.

Pemberton and Miller (2015) conducted two phases to assess the effect of parental involvement in a Title I school with a history to low reading achievement. A principal, parent liaison, two first-grade teachers, and four low-income families participated in the study. It was expressed in Phase I through interviews with the administrators and teachers that the lack of parental involvement conveyed that parents do not value their children's education; therefore, severing as the main reason low-income children continue to perform poorly in academic. In Phase II, teachers’ low perception of parental involvement changed to a new appreciation of parents’ participation based on an experiment that partnered parents

A New Wave of Evidence was a study performed by the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory. It synthesized a decade's worth of studies on parental support. The common thread throughout all of the studies was that parental involvement in a child's early life led to higher grades, higher attendance, and more adaptive behaviors by the supportive parents children. This report only echoes a previously stated notion. Parental support will have a positive effect on a child's life. While in most cases this true, too much parental support can be detrimental to a child's activities. Altogether, a child who has been supported by their children will likely have higher grades in school and show higher levels of

Only two types of parent involvement had significant effects on academic achievement in the main

While also going in more depth by attempting to address many of the issues that limit the ability to make specific conclusions about parental involvement, from the results of other studies that have examined this issue. The study was designed to see the differences by using more variables than other studies, variables that have not been used in other studies such as; parents discussing school with the students, and parental attendance to school events. This made the study distinct and allowed for the researchers to find a more conclusive correlation between academic achievement for parental family structure (William Jeynes,

Yes Freda parental involvement is critical through out the world for any school. According to research family factors plays a major role in teacher’s ability to teach students. Coupled with, principals and teachers agree that what is going on at home impact a student’s propensity to learn. Especially, when some teachers and administers try to work with children in less than ideal family environments, we can only do so much. Particularly, when parents are often not willing to partner with the schools to provide for the children. On a high note the earlier in a child’s educational process parent involvement begins, the more powerful the effects. Also the most effective forms of parent involvement are those that engage parents in working directly

More recently, the United States Department of Education, by submitting the 1996 proposal for National Education Goals, addressed the issue of parental involvement. The official U.S. government stood by the research of three decades that “parental participation in schooling improves student learning,” (U.S. Department of Education). Based on government research, family involvement programs don’t always need additional money to be successful, but leaders should stretch their own creativity to expand the programs that encourage community and family support. Parental involvement is found to be beneficial through high school, not stopping after elementary school, and parents that evolve as leaders should be encouraged to continue their role in their child’s education. The most successful parent leaders are found to play four roles in their child’s education: those roles are teacher, supporter, advocate and decision maker. The teacher-role supplements the child’s education at home, the supporter contributes his/her skills to the school, the advocate helps children receive fair treatment at home, and the decision maker participates in joint problem-solving with

Parental involvement in education is a vital essential for creating a cooperative environment for the student to thrive and succeed in. When a student knows that he or she is receiving support both inside and outside the school, the chances of that child becoming responsible for and active in their education are more likely. I know that there can be difficulties including parents for many reasons. Such parents may be too busy, uninterested or just feel helpless. However, as an educator, I will still have an obligation to reach out to these parents and assist them.

Dr. Sampson, Black and Brown: Race, Ethnicity, and School Preparation gives great insight into understanding the family dynamics which relate to parental educational involvement. To the credit of research design, I believe the case studies presented on youth living poor from low-income communities adequately assesses the needs of students. It is also a strength of Dr. Sampson research that information is given on how parents can engage in their children’s education although they may be in the midst of poverty and lack. By actually showing ways in which low-income families produce cultural and social capital, Dr. Sampson creates an even playing ground for parent participation and shows that low-income families alike possess a great deal of knowledge, skill and care for educational success. One of Dr. Sampson overarching ideas is that children and influences by parents attitude and (or) behavior. There are many variables that influence student achievement, I agree with Dr. Sampson that attitudes and behavior is perhaps the foundation for achievement outcomes. Common practices such as parents helping with home-work and properly supervising children are referenced as key supports for academic success.

Parent involvement in education has been related to many positive outcomes in student academic achievement such as a higher GPA, lower dropout rates, positive behavior, homework completion and increased success in reading, writing, and mathematics (Anderson & Minke 311). This topic on education has been observed, studied, and documented, but mixed results are not uncommon because different researchers take different influential variables into consideration. However, that does not change the fact that parent involvement does affect student achievement and behavior in school. Involvement of parents was the cornerstone of Barack Obama’s “Race to the Top” educational initiative, President Bush’s “No Child Left Behind” initiative, and President Clinton’s 1996 Elementary and Secondary Act (McNeal 564). This shows that parent involvement is one of the main focuses when discussing student achievement. McNeal defines parent involvement as any action taken by a parent that can be expected to help student performance or behavior (564). He also describes parent involvement as social relations that are infused with trust, obligation, and reciprocity (565). Parents who supervise their children’s school work, communicate with teachers on a regular basis, and help develop their children’s plans after high school have students that are more likely to graduate from high school and continue their education.

Parental involvement is another benefit to homeschooling. Educating one’s children at home gives intentional parents the opportunity to determine what and how the child will learn. Nowadays, at public schools, parents struggle for the opportunity for their opinions concerning their children’s classes to be heard (Beliefnet News 2013). With the option of homeschooling, they are not only given the awareness of what their children are studying, but also the authority to choose the education material. In addition, they can walk through the material with their

student achievement is positively correlated to parental involvement. “For example, Green and Hoover-Dempsey, reported that homeschool parents held stronger personal motivators (role activity and efficacy beliefs) for involvement than did those in a sample of involved public school parents,” (Ice & Hoover-Dempsey 340). In saying this, homeschooling allows parents to stay more involved in their child’s education, and pushes them to succeed. In contrast, parents that have students attending public school do not have to be involved in their child’s education, therefore causing them to not excel or succeed in academics. Another advantage Collom raises awareness to, is that homeschoolers do not having to face the “two great divides that public school children face—race and class.,.” (329)

There are a few things that most everyone agrees is good for education: Good education starts with good teachers, adequate funding is critical, and parent involvement is important to student success. There’s a huge debate out there asking how America can improve its education system. Some argue the key is in improving the quality of teachers, others insist that it’s strictly about more money spent on education, but what about parent involvement? It’s widely accepted that parents being involved in their children’s education dramatically helps student achievement. However, despite it being considered a good thing, what is being done to promote it? Another question to consider is what difference does parent involvement make? Even more important, those parents who don’t get involved, who are they and why are they disinterested? These are some of the questions to consider. Surprisingly there isn’t much data out there addressing them. Parents may be one of the keys to fixing America’s education, it’s just a question of how.

The benefits that parental behavior can offer do not end here. In elementary level, Greenwood and Hickman (1991) have cited numerous studies which found relationships between parent involvement and student variables such as academic achievement, sense of well-being, attendance, student attitude, homework readiness, grades, and educational aspirations. In higher levels, time spent on homework, favorable attitudes toward school and reduced levels of high school dropout were proved to be affected by mediating parents (Keith et al., 1986; Trusty, 1996;