The Advanced Placement program allows high school students who pass an end of course Advanced Placement exam to receive college credit for college level courses completed during high school. The problem addressed by this project study is that, in the school under study, there is low enrollment in Advanced Placement classes even though many students qualify for these courses. Using a case study research design and collecting qualitative data, this study examined the influence parents have on student course selection. This study followed the theories of Epstein which indicate that involved parents positively influence their children's academic achievement. The research questions centered on the level of parental involvement in their child's course selections and their knowledge of Advanced Placement courses. Parents identified ways the school could help them be more aware of student academic choices available to their children. Data for these questions was gathered from 9 face-to-face interviews and 1telephone interview. An analysis schema, including theme coding and trend analyzing of the data, answered the questions and revealed the parents had no knowledge of the Advanced Placement courses, and they need direct communication from the school. The research led to the development of a Parental Learning Community. The project emanating from this study is a 3-part workshop. In part 1, parents learn how important their involvement is in their child's academic success. Part 2 informs parents about Advanced Placement classes. Part 3 obtains parent commitment to join the Parental Learning Community and keep it active. Positive social change may include increasing graduation rates, identifying ways schools can better support parental involvement, and preparing graduates for successful post-secondary education.

In this examination project I look into what ways upper secondary school students conceive themselves as politically influenced before they voted for the general election of 2010. The purpose is to examine which influences the upper secondary school surroundings and the classes of civic education are contributing with to students before they voted. As a method, I have used personal, semi-structural interviews on eight upper secondary school students who all voted for a party represented in the parliament. I have asked questions about how they believe their parents, the surroundings of their school and the classes of civic education have influenced them. To separate which influences primarily the upper secondary school and the classes of civic educations have had on the students, I have selected two comparison groups of four students in each. One group contains only parent-influenced students whereas the other group contains only not parent-influenced students.   My findings show that the upper secondary school surroundings have played an important part to both student groups and the outcome may be theoretically generalized to all upper secondary school students studying natural science. The influences related to the classes of civic education have had a diversified outcome, mostly on not parent-influenced students. Therefore, this piece of result cannot be theoretically generalized to all natural science students. Not parent-influenced students also perceive themselves as more influenced by miscellaneous meaningful people, than do parent-influenced students.   I understand the results as students not concurring with their parents politically, are more inclined to chase their political identity among their peer friends and other meaningful people. They are also more open-minded in the teaching moments of political parties, also during the political debate throughout the civic education. Finally, I discuss how the results should be viewed by teachers in civic education and what role the upper secondary school continues to play, as a political socialization agent.

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