The Role of Parents in High-Achieving Schools Serving Low-Income, At-Risk Populations

Abstract

This study investigates the critical elements of parent involvement as related to children's improved academic achievement. Survey data were collected from 220 parents whose children attend three Chicago public elementary schools. The schools serve largely minority, low-income populations and score in the top third of the Illinois State Achievement Tests. Using Epstein's framework of parent involvement, we found that participants indicated a stronger tendency to participate in two of Epstein's typologies: Type I (Parenting) and Type IV (Learning at Home). Results suggest that schools struggling with unsatisfactory student achievement may benefit from focusing parent involvement efforts on building parenting capacity and encouraging learning-at-home activities.

School Influences on Parents' Role Beliefs

“…In particular, these parents help their children with homework, enroll their children in extracurricular activities, maintain high expectations, provide a quiet space for work at home, and engage community resources for additional academic help (Lawson, 2003;McKay, Atkins, Hawkins, Brown, & Lynn, 2003;McWayne, Campos, & Owsianik, 2008;Wong & Hughes, 2006). Also like their suburban counterparts, many urban parents have been found to discuss the school day with their children, provide direct instruction on school assignments, monitor children's peer groups, attend parent-teacher conferences, and volunteer at the school (Ingram, Wolfe, & Lieberman, 2007;Ji & Koblinksy, 2009). In essence, these urban parents engage in many of the same involvement behaviors as wealthier parents in suburban schools, despite research findings suggesting they are less involved (Coleman, 1987;Epstein & Dauber, 1991;KlimesDougan, 1992).…”

Untitled

“…There is an emerging literature that has examined what types of school involvement are most and least often exhibited by parents of ELs (e.g., Ingram, Wolfe, & Lieberman, 2007), which has revealed that in-home types of educational involvement such as monitoring homework and asking children about their school day were the most frequently reported types of involvement. Previous studies, such as Vera, Israel, Coyle, Mull, Lynn-Knight, and Goldberger (2012), not only replicated the findings that monitoring homework and asking children about their school day were most commonly reported by ethnically diverse parents of ELs, but that parents cited language barriers, a lack of familiarity with the U.S. educational system, and a desire not to interfere with teachers' work as reasons they were not as active in school-based activities.…”

Who are the Most Disadvantaged? Factors Associated with the Achievement of Students with Low SocioEconomic Backgrounds

“…The list of solutions they produced mostly suggested the importance of early childhood education, parenting, and household issues (Bellibas & Gumus, 2013;Darling-Hammond, 2010;Ingram, Wolfe, & Lieberman, 2007;Lareau, 1987Lareau, , 2002Lareau, , 2003Rothstein, 2004;ScottJones, 1987). For instance, Darling-Hammond (2010) reports 2006 PISA results and argues that the U.S has the largest existing achievement gap among students with differing SES, when compared to other developed countries.…”