Parental involvement in children's education has been found to have a positive impact on academic achievement. Because the state has mandated that academic achievement in the study district needs to increase, identifying means of increasing parental involvement is important. Guided by the work of Epstein, this quantitative study was conducted to explore demographic factors related to parents' involvement in the education of their children. Specifically, research questions examined differences in parental involvement by socioeconomic status (SES), barriers to involvement for parents, and school strategies to improve parental involvement. Parents of all 5th grade students (n = 935) from a large East Coast urban district were surveyed using the Scale of Parental Involvement to address the research questions. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics as well as an independent-samples t test to determine the differences in involvement by SES. A significant difference in parental involvement between low- and high-SES parents was not obtained. Parents reported that barriers such as work hours, lack of feeling appreciated, culture, transportation, and child care prevented full participation in the education of their children. The findings also suggested that districts might increase parental involvement through engaging in more frequent communication with parents; providing more activities to do at home; and providing more time for training, teaching, and meeting. Implications for positive social change include providing research findings to the local district on how to increase the involvement of parents in their children's education.

Enrollment in K-12 online courses continues to rise substantially each year (Evergreen Education Group, 2015). As the number of students taking courses online increases, the number of parents parenting in online courses also increases. This qualitative exploratory case study, bounded by the online program that was studied, was performed to better understand parents’ perceptions of their roles in online high school mathematics courses. Eighty-seven parents participated in an online questionnaire which elicited both quantitative and qualitative responses. Guided by the major tenets of symbolic interactionism theoretical framework, these responses were combined with data from six interviews to investigate why parents chose to enroll their children in online mathematics courses, their expectations pertaining to the online mathematics course, and their perceived roles and responsibilities in the online mathematics course. Through a detailed process of analyzing the questionnaire and interview data, nine themes emerged: (a) participant parents enrolled their children in online mathematics courses to remove their child from a negative social environment and to avoid distractions in the traditional setting; (b) participant parents want their children to have the flexibility to work ahead of their peers; (c) the school should provide quality curriculum and resources for teachers, students, and parents; (d) teachers should identify and address when students need help; (e) teachers should be available and approachable; (f) students should put forth their best effort; (g) students should ask for help when they experience difficulty understanding a new concept; (h) participant parents monitor to make sure their children are completing assignments and asking for help; and (i) participant parents help their children by re-teaching mathematics concepts or encouraging the child to seek help from others. This study has theoretical and practical significance by adding to literature investigating parental roles in mathematics education and providing insight on the nature of parental involvement in an online high school mathematics program. Consistent with relevant literature (Currie-Rubin & Smith, 2014; Curtis, 2013; Thurber, 2013), results of this study call upon educators to invest in efforts that enhance understanding of parents’ perspectives in an effort to strengthen parental involvement in online mathematics courses. INDEX WORDS: Mathematics, Online learning, Online mathematics, K-12 online learning, Virtual learning, Parental involvement, Parental engagement, Parental roles, Interactions, Teacher responsibilities, Student responsibilities, Success, Perceptions of success, Flexibility

Thesis advisor: Irwin Blumer / This study examines the perceived impact of a parental empowerment project on parents of students of color transitioning into high school. The overarching problem addressed is the achievement gap. The study is an investigation of a means to increase the involvement of parents of color at an important transition. This is a gap closing measure because research dictates that this type of intervention can lead to higher academic achievement for minority students. To this end, seven participants constitute the sample group. Each sample member is treated as an individual case in keeping with the study's design as a qualitative case study. This study seeks to determine how these seven parents had their attitudes and behaviors shifted as a result of their participation in the aforementioned project, and which factors supported and inhibited their involvement as their children transitioned into high school. The researcher finds that all of the sample members perceived some benefit from their participation. These benefits for the parents include fostering a greater role understanding, increased ability to hold their children accountable, and an increased understanding of the high school curriculum. The monthly parent meetings, one of the three elements comprising the empowerment program, were most helpful for parents. Whereas, the scheduling of meetings made it difficult for members of the sample to be as involved as they wanted to be. Ultimately, the study concludes that a program which involves parents during their children's high school transition can help them increase their own sense of efficacy. It suggests opportunities for further research to be done on the impact of such a program on the actual academic performance of students. / Thesis (EdD) — Boston College, 2009. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Administration.

Thesis (M.ED.) --University of Limpopo, 2007. / Lack of parental involvement in primary schools has been a burning issue to fellow educators, school managers and departmental officials in Mankweng Circuit in Limpopo Province. Parents too were dissatisfied about their children’s performance. The main aim of this study was to investigate causes which hinder learner performance and intend to develop or propose strategies to be used to improve learner performance. Research and practice indicate that parental involvement remains a crucial topic effort to enhance school effectiveness. However, principals in schools still experience a number of problems in this regard and do not succeed in obtaining optimal involvement of parents. The present research therefore investigated the Impact of Parental Involvement on Learner Performance. Although it was possible to isolate factors responsible for non-involvement of parents, it is clear that each of these factors must not be seen in isolation, they cumulatively compound the problem of Parental Involvement. Method used for this study was qualitative and quantitative approaches. Populations were from parents, principals, heads of departments and educators. Questionnaires, interviews, observations and documents were used as instruments to obtain information from respondents. Data was analysed using tables and figures. The major findings of the research revealed that, principals are of the opinion that parents in rural areas and lower socio-economic areas present a special problem as they lack interest in parental involvement in schools for education of their children. / Not listed

Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2005.

Increasing the amount and quality of parental involvement as a means of increasing student achievement has been an important policy focus for the last half century, and is especially true today as the United States is faced with an increasingly diverse student body in its public school system. This report examines what parental involvement and student achievement are, the impact of parental involvement, which groups receive the most impact, and factors that affect parental involvement. The focus is the elementary school level, using literacy level as the primary means of student achievement. Of particular interest are schools with diverse student populations that tend to be linguistically diverse and are identified under the federal Title I program. Current research indicates a positive relationship between parental involvement and its effect on student achievement. The most important factor for quality parental involvement that results in improved student achievement is not the type of activity, but how interaction occurs and the intensity level. Parental involvement programs should provide targeted activities that are curriculum related and culturally sound; they must also have the capacity to be practically implemented in the increasingly busy lives of parents and students. While current studies do support this relationship, parental involvement operates within a complex web of interrelated contexts; further quantitative research using more experimental methods and controlled studies could provide results that would strengthen the evidence of using parental involvement as a policy or program choice for increasing student achievement. Policy recommendations are directed primarily at school teachers and administration. Those recommendations are to 1) ensure a welcoming environment through invitations by teachers and students; 2) increase parental self-efficacy; 3) develop extended family resources; 4) highlight the different avenues of parental involvement; 5) allow time for teachers to plan and develop relationships; and 6) ask the parents. / text

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Parental involvement is widely considered to be an important part of the educational process throughout the years of schooling. However, few studies have discussed parental involvement at the secondary level, which is the focus of this thesis. The Parental Involvement in Secondary Education Questionnaire (PISEQ) was created to measure the type and level of parental involvement in children’s secondary education, and the degree of differences in parental involvement across gender, age, or ethnicity. The PISEQ includes both quantitative measures based on Likert scales and qualitative items to allow for more personalized and idiosyncratic responses. Individual subscales include Parent Communication, Parent Event Participation, Parent Facilitation of Study Environment, and Parental Involvement with School Work, School Facilitation of Parental Involvement, and School Communication with Parents. The PISEQ was administered to 163 parents (83.4% female) of a co-educational Decile 7 high school (years 9-13) in Christchurch, New Zealand. Parent participants were primarily of Pakeha/New Zealand European ethnicity (83%; 6% Asian; 5.4% Other Ethnic Group; 3% Pacific Islander; and 2% Maori) with mean age of parents 46.5 years (S.D. = 6.3). Results showed no differences between child gender groups for all parental involvement measures. As a group, ethnic minority parents were more involved with their child’s homework than Pakeha/European New Zealand parents. In addition, across the entire sample, parents of older children were less likely to facilitate a home study environment and assist with homework. Qualitative data showed that parents felt that the school communicated well, yet specific types and content of communication required development. Suggestions for improvement of parental involvement at secondary school level were discussed.

A literature and an empirical study disclosed that parental involvement in school activities has too little impact in education at different schools in the Dl 1 area. The literature study revealed that neither arguments for, nor arguments against parental involvement in school activities should be overemphasized at the expense of the principals and SGB's. The educators are taking no initiative to improve or build up home-school relationships with parents or with the community. For better results there should be: educator-parent involvement, which is essential in promoting and supporting school performance, teaching and learning, and in the general well-being of the citizens of the future; and a parental involvement, which can make a valuable contribution to the educational process through commitment to and knowledge of their children. The empirical method, using questionnaires, was successful in obtaining information about parental involvement in school activities. It also established how co-ordination can be successful at school between the principals, SGB's, educators, parents and learners in the promotion of effective education implementation. The study established that, if practical partnerships succeed, benefits will be reaped from increased parental involvement, in that there could be: an improvement of learners' academic achievement, attitudes and inspiration; an increased motivation to attend school; an involvement by the community in the structures of the school; parental assistance in the management of a school within the School Management Team and the School Governing Body; an improvement of home-school communication; an improvement at schools in all respects; and the end-product will not only be the creation of an atmosphere conducive to teaching and learning, but proper, practical partnerships will be established in the educational system in these areas. A number of recommendations were made with regard to the research findings for the Johannesburg South Mega District (Dl1). / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2005.

A literature and an empirical study disclosed that parental involvement in school activities has too little impact in education at different schools in the Dl 1 area. The literature study revealed that neither arguments for, nor arguments against parental involvement in school activities should be overemphasized at the expense of the principals and SGB's. The educators are taking no initiative to improve or build up home-school relationships with parents or with the community. For better results there should be: educator-parent involvement, which is essential in promoting and supporting school performance, teaching and learning, and in the general well-being of the citizens of the future; and a parental involvement, which can make a valuable contribution to the educational process through commitment to and knowledge of their children. The empirical method, using questionnaires, was successful in obtaining information about parental involvement in school activities. It also established how co-ordination can be successful at school between the principals, SGB's, educators, parents and learners in the promotion of effective education implementation. The study established that, if practical partnerships succeed, benefits will be reaped from increased parental involvement, in that there could be: an improvement of learners' academic achievement, attitudes and inspiration; an increased motivation to attend school; an involvement by the community in the structures of the school; parental assistance in the management of a school within the School Management Team and the School Governing Body; an improvement of home-school communication; an improvement at schools in all respects; and the end-product will not only be the creation of an atmosphere conducive to teaching and learning, but proper, practical partnerships will be established in the educational system in these areas. A number of recommendations were made with regard to the research findings for the Johannesburg South Mega District (Dl1). / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2005.