Much attention has been paid to administrators and teachers in turnaround schools; however, little focus, if any, is given to school counselors and the vital role that they play in improving student outcomes. In turnaround schools, it is critical that all school personnel are involved in improving school outcomes, such as academic achievement and graduation rates, in the lowest performing high schools in the United States. The authors highlight the critical role that school counselors play in turnaround schools and offer specific recommendations on how they may collaborate with other stakeholders to improve student achievement in such school settings.
Purpose This paper aims to explore parent and school leader partnerships to engage high poverty and minority families against the backdrop of transformative educators fulfilling federal policy advice on parent involvement in schools. Policies encouraging school and home collaboration are considered in an urban school district. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative methods explore perspectives of parents and educators regarding parent engagement supporting student advancement. Data collection includes individual and group interviews, document analysis and observations. Findings Findings suggest that federal policy encouraged collaboration between parents and educational leaders. District initiatives contextualized parent involvement models of school home collaboration. Parents believe parental engagement is essential for student advancement but are uncertain about how to participate. Opportunities exist for transformative leadership in the district and schools. Research limitations/implications Research implications suggest that policy can be a catalyst for parent involvement activities. Parents learn that opportunities exist for them to support children in schools and that educational leaders can be partners and advocates. Understandings are extended for educational leaders regarding parents as collaborators supporting students. Finally, policy makers are urged to be mindful in crafting legislation about school home partnerships. Originality/value This paper fills literature gaps about parent and educational leader collaboration in advancing parental involvement. Educational leaders are in prime positions to cultivate trusting linkages with high poverty and minority parents by sharing advocacy for students. Transformative educational administrators who strive for equity in schools can further school home alliances. Policy can present opportunities for educators to embrace parental involvement.
This conceptual paper extends the understanding and application of transformative leadership through the lens of a feminist ethic of care and a community-centric perspective. The authors re-examine the transformative leadership style in relation to the emerging alternative family structures in the United States. The authors also consider the need for a novel transformative leadership approach that infuses the ethics of care to formulate new policies and practices. Finally, the authors provide recommendations for future research that promote care and justice as transformative leadership attributes in diverse school communities. This conceptualization brings community to the forefront of stronger school–community relations.
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This research explored parents’ perceptions of engagement experiences in the school life of their children. This qualitative study included a multi-site exploration of parents at two elementary public schools in an Appalachian school district. Participants for this inquiry included 16 high poverty parents for the individual and focus group interviews. Parents were identified as high poverty based on their child’s eligibility for free and reduced lunches under the U.S. National School Lunch Program. Interview protocols were designed to examine themes of school culture and climate, educational policy, and parental involvement. The research team collected interview transcripts from conversations with parents at the studied school sites.. In examining data from the transcripts, several prominent themes emerged as findings. These findings included the fact that a) parents were motivated to be involved in schools; b) parents grappled with constraints limiting their time to be engaged in schools; and c) issues emerged suggesting that there were attitudes of in-group marginalization amongst parents in the schools. Recommendations are provided for educational leaders, teachers, and other school district personnel.
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