Aligning theory with practice: Understanding school–family partnerships at an inner-city high school

Teachers as Facilitators or Barriers of Parent Involvement: Experiences of African American Mothers of Children in Special Education Programs

“…In light of research conducted with minority families of children with special needs, the literature supports the understanding that there are teacher qualities and actions that promote parent involvement (Durand, 2011;Kalyanpur & Harry, 2004), and teacher qualities and actions that discourage parent involvement (McDermott & Rothenberg, 2000;Williams, 2007). Parents in this disenfranchised group have reported that, in addition to limited personal resources and a lack of teachers and school staff who are culturally competent, school policies designed and developed by the dominant culture further marginalizes families whose children are African American and in special education programs (Cousins & Mickelson, 2011;McDermott & Rothenberg, 2000;Williams & Sanchez, 2011). Because the concept of parent involvement is subjective and influenced by culture (Bower & Griffin, 2011), and because special education adds another dimension to what it means to be involved (Harry, 2008), the parents in the present study had the opportunity to explain their understanding of this concept.…”

“…For example, when defining parent involvement, it must be understood that there are cultural differences in the concept of parent. In European American households, parents are typically viewed as a child's biological mother and father; however, in African American and Hispanic American households, parenting is conceptualized differently to include grandparents, aunts, uncles, and partners (Banerjee, Harrell, & Johnson, 2011;Durand, 2011;Lopez, Scribner, & Mahitivanichch, 2001;Williams, Sanchez, & Hunnell, 2011). Joyce Epstein, a noted researcher and theorist in the field of parent involvement in education, defines parent involvement in terms of six components or types (Bower & Griffin, 2011;Epstein & Van Voorhis, 2010;Lee & Bowen, 2006;Lewis et al, 2011).…”

“…They have acknowledged that the ever-evolving American family unit and its nuances must be perceived in a way that recognizes and gives credence to non-mainstream cultures and lifestyles as well. To this end, Williams, Sanchez, and Hunnell (2011), in their work with African American parents, use the construct school-family partnership instead of parental involvement to define how "people, roles, organizations, and events are interrelated" (p. 689). They explain that the term parental involvement is misleading because it does not acknowledge the interaction between the parents, the school personnel and the school system (Williams et al, 2011), all of which are imperative to student achievement.…”

“…With regard to African American parents specifically, there are a number of barriers that impede parent involvement. Many parents indicate that their limited resources hinder their involvement in their child's education (Cousins & Mickelson, 2011;Williams & Sanchez, 2011). For example, as a result of work and day-to-day family obligations, many parents lack the necessary time to dedicate to their children's school matters (Cousins & Mickelson, 2011;Williams & Sanchez, 2011).…”

“…Many parents indicate that their limited resources hinder their involvement in their child's education (Cousins & Mickelson, 2011;Williams & Sanchez, 2011). For example, as a result of work and day-to-day family obligations, many parents lack the necessary time to dedicate to their children's school matters (Cousins & Mickelson, 2011;Williams & Sanchez, 2011). In addition to limited time, some parents assert that lack of access (e.g., scheduling conflicts), lack of financial resources, and lack of awareness (i.e., unaware of school policies or misinformed about school events) are deterrents in their school involvement activities (Williams & Sanchez, 2011).…”