Parental Involvement

RUNNING HEAD: Parental Involvement

Parental Involvement:

  An Effective Strategy For Increasing

Academic Achievement

Dana A. Miller

Holy Family University

Abstract

Parental involvement has become an increasingly popular topic.   Research has shown that parental involvement increases student achievement, but getting parents involved means building a parent teacher partnership.   Establishing a parent-teacher relationship can present difficulty due to differences in beliefs, values, parenting styles, parental education, teacher communication, economic and cultural barriers and so on.   Despite the difficulties, there are effective ways to involve parents.   The majority of the studies done on parental involvement conclude in agreement that parental involvement has a positive affect on children; however, each kind of parental participation has different effects, some positive and some negative.   Parents must work together with both school administrators and teachers to figure out the best way to help their child improve academically and socially.

      In order to provide effective education programs for students with disabilities, teachers must work in partnership with parents and families.   The importance of parent involvement in the education of children and young adults is well established in the research literature and in the fundamental values of schooling in the United States (Epstein, 1995).   When parents are involved in a child’s educational program, there is an increase in student achievement as well as an improvement in the student’s attitude toward school (Henderson & Berla, 1994). From an intervention perspective, it is important to think about the school and teacher characteristics that influence parent involvement.

What is parental involvement?

      Parental involvement can mean many things.   Parental involvement can be helping children set challenging academic standards, providing encouragement, arranging for appropriate... [continues]

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