The goals for public schools are to educate all students so that they may attend colleges and/or develop relevant job and citizenship skills. African American students enrolled in American public schools struggle to keep up academically, revealing a so called “achievement gap.” Consequently, many African American children are unable to realize their potential and participate as successful contributing citizens. This study examined how African American parents might engage in their children’s schooling and how schools might support this participation to better meet the needs of these students. The segregation and racism historically practiced in public schools has led to negative perceptions between educators and African American families and communities. The gap in traditional measures of academic achievement between Black and White children has been debated and analyzed by scholars, legislators, and practitioners for decades. School based issues associated with this trend are lower teacher expectations for students of color, lack of curriculum rigor, effective teacher development and training, inadequate resources, tracking of African American students into less demanding programs, a lack of appreciation for Black cultures and inappropriate/misguided school administration. This study examines African American parents’ perceptions of public education and how it impacts Black student success and offers a synopsis of significant events that may have shaped some of these perceptions. Findings include evidence that African American parents perceive that schools do not reach out to them to foster a partnership or encourage participation, but most often engage them when behavior or academic issues arise with their children. Additional areas for investigation surface by the findings include evidence that the disconnect perhaps does not come from a lack of engagement, but from a lack of active participation and partnership. Parents are left feeling as if they have no influence on school culture. Recommendations for improving school and family interactions that may improve African American student outcomes include teacher led parent-school partnerships, communication outside the classroom and school setting, and consideration for cultural differences.

Abstract The disquiet around parent-school relationships is the focus of this study. During transitioning to high school, the boundaries around this relationship changes. Few studies have addressed these changes, particularly from parents’ perspectives. It is parents’ voices which are central to this study. This dissertation uses the standpoint of parents, which is often absent or silent in educational literature and research. Within a critical and constructivist paradigm, and influenced by Institutional Ethnography, two elementary schools (divergent in race, social class, ethnicity and immigrant status) and one high school are the sites for interviews with 14 parents and 13 educators. 11 parents were re-interviewed after their children entered high school. Four questions were addresses: How has parent involvement come to be understood? How is the parent-school relationship experienced by parents and educators? How and why are decisions made around the transition and school choice process? Do parents’ perceptions align/vary from those of educators? Based on historically constructed notions and assumptions, parent involvement is usually understood as a visible and public demonstration of appropriate and caring parenting ignoring interactions outside of the public’s gaze. Illustrated through Parent Council membership, parent involvement is gendered, classed, culturally related and race, ethnic and immigrant status specific. Some parents had more social, cultural, economic and emotional capital to bring to the transition process, while others were marginalized and had to rely on/trust the education system. School and Board policies and procedures were examined and their varied affects on parents’ experiences and choices analysed. Educators assisted in disseminating assumptions around parent-school relationships and contributed to inequitable parent knowledge, partially as a result of too little training. By examining social, economic and cultural positioning of parents within local school communities, positive parent-school relationships can be nurtured, which political pundits and educationalists have failed to accomplish. During transitioning, organization and social discontinuities contributed to parent and school disconnects and constructed borderlands in the parent-child-school relationship. This study evidenced the fragility of the parent-school relationship, especially during this vulnerable time for parents and thus, reflective questions are presented in hope of initiating a crucial conversation in local school communities.

Abstract The disquiet around parent-school relationships is the focus of this study. During transitioning to high school, the boundaries around this relationship changes. Few studies have addressed these changes, particularly from parents’ perspectives. It is parents’ voices which are central to this study. This dissertation uses the standpoint of parents, which is often absent or silent in educational literature and research. Within a critical and constructivist paradigm, and influenced by Institutional Ethnography, two elementary schools (divergent in race, social class, ethnicity and immigrant status) and one high school are the sites for interviews with 14 parents and 13 educators. 11 parents were re-interviewed after their children entered high school. Four questions were addresses: How has parent involvement come to be understood? How is the parent-school relationship experienced by parents and educators? How and why are decisions made around the transition and school choice process? Do parents’ perceptions align/vary from those of educators? Based on historically constructed notions and assumptions, parent involvement is usually understood as a visible and public demonstration of appropriate and caring parenting ignoring interactions outside of the public’s gaze. Illustrated through Parent Council membership, parent involvement is gendered, classed, culturally related and race, ethnic and immigrant status specific. Some parents had more social, cultural, economic and emotional capital to bring to the transition process, while others were marginalized and had to rely on/trust the education system. School and Board policies and procedures were examined and their varied affects on parents’ experiences and choices analysed. Educators assisted in disseminating assumptions around parent-school relationships and contributed to inequitable parent knowledge, partially as a result of too little training. By examining social, economic and cultural positioning of parents within local school communities, positive parent-school relationships can be nurtured, which political pundits and educationalists have failed to accomplish. During transitioning, organization and social discontinuities contributed to parent and school disconnects and constructed borderlands in the parent-child-school relationship. This study evidenced the fragility of the parent-school relationship, especially during this vulnerable time for parents and thus, reflective questions are presented in hope of initiating a crucial conversation in local school communities.

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of middle school students particularly focusing on the academic achievement of economically disadvantaged students. Existing data show that there is an increasing cohort of school children experiencing poverty, either short or long term. For poor middle school students, the risk for school failure is amplified by the general risks associated with middle school transition and early adolescence development. The cumulative nature of these risks is often associated with undesirable school outcomes including grade retention, behavior problems, absenteeism, delinquency, teenage pregnancy, school dropout, fewer years of schooling, and lower academic achievement. However, there is evidence that some students succeed in spite of adversity, which is often attributed to protective factors present in the students’ own immediate environment – school, home, and community. This current study, therefore, examined the relationship between two potential protective factors–parent involvement and school belonging–and student achievement. Previous research has established that parent involvement and school belonging are both associated with positive school outcomes including academic motivation, self-efficacy, internal locus of control, pro-social and on-task behavior, school engagement, educational aspirations and expectations, and better academic achievement. Consequently, this study examined three main questions: (a) How is parental involvement associated with academic achievement for economically disadvantaged eighth grade students? (b) How school belonging associated with academic achievement for economically disadvantaged eighth grade students? (c) Do the relations between parent involvement, school belonging, and eighth grade achievement vary as a function of prior achievement and middle school? To answer these research questions, this study used the nationally representative longitudinal data from Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten (ECLS-K) Class of 1998/99. The findings for this study showed that when parent involvement and school belonging were considered together, the association between parent involvement and student achievement diminished while school belonging consistently emerged as a significant predictor of achievement. However, while school belonging emerged as a significant predictor of achievement, this study established that students’ prior achievement was the single strong and significant factor explaining achievement for poor eighth grade students. / text

This study examined the effects of a parent-led intervention focused on developing children's early literacy skills within the home setting. The lesson plans contain scripted steps for completing activities to teach letter names and phonological awareness skills. Archival data were analyzed from a study conducted with 26 families from three Head Start centers. Thirteen families completed the intervention and thirteen families were enrolled in a control condition which provided information on shared reading strategies. Children in the intervention group performed at statistically significant higher levels on measures of letter naming, phonological awareness, vocabulary/oral language, and comprehension. Parents rated both the intervention and control conditions as highly acceptable. Most parents (n= 10) within the intervention group completed the vast majority of the lesson plans. Changes within the home revealed that parents in both groups engaged in the same types of early learning activities, but that parents in the intervention group reported engaging in these activities more frequently than the control group. This study contributes to the literature by creating a method of parental involvement in preschool targeting phonological awareness and letter naming abilities.

Research has demonstrated much evidence for the positive effect of parent involvement on academic achievement in children (Jeynes, 2003, 2007; Hoover-Dempsey, Walker, Sandler, Whetsel, Green, Wilkins, & Closson, 2005; Fan & Chen, 2001; Griffith, 1996). As children from low income and ethnic minority families are at the greatest risk for academic failure, it is important to study the processes that lead parents to become involved within at-risk populations. A comprehensive model such as the one proposed by Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler (1995, 1997) provides a map of important constructs to study. Research using this model appears promising as a way to conceptualize the processes that lead to parent involvement (Walker, Wilkins, Dallaire, Sandler, & Hoover-Dempsey, 2005). However, there are few studies that have tested this model with minority populations, and none that have focused on a primarily Latino population. Parent involvement research indicates inconsistent findings regarding the role of family background variables in the process of parent involvement (Ho & Willms, 1996; Griffith, 1998). The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of parent perceived invitations for involvement on parent involvement behavior with a primarily low-income, urban, Latino population. Two levels of the Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler model were tested: parent perceived invitations for involvement (child invitations, school invitations, and teacher invitations) and parent involvement behavior (home-based and school-based). Child invitations and teacher invitations were both found to be important types of invitation for total parent involvement (home-based and school-based combined). Home language, employment status, and parent education level moderated the effect of child invitations on total parent involvement. When parent involvement was differentiated into home-based and school-based involvement as separate dependent variables, child invitations had a significant effect on both types of involvement. Home language, employment status, and parent education level moderated the effect of child invitations on home-based parent involvement. For this population, child invitations for involvement appear to be the most important means to invite parent participation. Future research should continue to investigate the utility of Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler’s model of parent involvement with specific ethnic groups, and consider family background variables due to their potentially moderating role. / text

The main assertion in this dissertation is that there is a lack of adequate and appropriate parent involvement in Hlanganani South Schools to make them centres of teaching and learning excellence. The empirical research was conducted in one of the most under-researched and often misunderstood areas of education in South Africa. The purpose was to investigate how effective parent involvement in the schools could improve the learning culture in the Hlanganani schools and their communities. A qualitative investigation of parent involvement in four secondary schools of Hlanganani South was conducted by collecting data through interviews with four school managers (principals), twenty-eight parents and six educators (teachers). The literature that was reviewed focused on the history of parent involvement in the world and South Africa, factors that increase and hinder parent involvement, legislation concerning parent involvement in education and issues involved in education provision to South African rural areas such as Hlanganani South. The research has revealed that the lack of a culture of learning in Hlanganani is influenced by factors such as high unemployment rate, poor socio-economic background, high illiteracy rate, high failure rate of learners, and urbanisation of the area. The investigation further found that there is an urgent need for school managers to acquire knowledge, skills, and strategies for active involvement of parents in schools. The participation of parents in schools needs effective school management strategies, regular communication between parents and schools, and clearly communicated community expectations for the schools. There must be training of School Governing Bodies, educators, and school managers for parent involvement to be effective in the improvement of a learning culture. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Comparative Education)

Diplomová práce pojednává o využití portfolia pro sebehodnocení žáků ve třetím ročníku, které by mělo plnohodnotně sloužit k běžné diagnostice ze strany učitele a dále by mělo plnit funkci zpětné vazby pro žáka a rodiče při sledování jeho výsledků a pokroků. Teoretická část práce se zabývá vymezením pojmu sebehodnocení a práce s ním v jeho širším kontextu, zejména ve vazbě na hodnocení žáků a diagnostickou činnost učitele. Cílem diplomové práce je na základě teoretických poznatků a výzkumných dat navrhnout a zavést taková opatření, která by posunula stav již existujícího portfolia a sebehodnocení na kvalitativně vyšší úroveň jak po stránce obsahové, tak i v samotném po stránce obsahové i v samotném způsobu práce s ním. Pro dosažení stanoveného cíle byla zvolena metoda kvalitativního výzkumu, která je vymezena a interpretována ve výzkumné části práce. Klíčová slova: sebehodnocení, žák, hodnocení, individualizace, kritéria, motivace, portfolio žáka, zpětná vazba, zapojení rodičů Abstract This dissertation work deals with the use of a third-grade self-assessment portfolio for students, which should be used for normal diagnostics by the teacher and should serve as a feedback for students and also for parents in monitoring their results and progress. The theoretical part deals with the definition of the...

Parents in disenfranchised groups, namely African American parents of children with special needs, are less likely to be involved in their child’s education, although involvement is associated with positive educational outcomes. The purpose of this study was to investigate African American parents’ perceptions of special education programs, of teacher actions, and of school policies that influence parent involvement of African American parents of children with special needs. A phenomenological study was conducted with 15 African American mothers of children with special needs. These parents participated in individual face-to-face interviews, which included a discussion of the child’s Individualized Education Plan. Audio recordings from the interviews were transcribed and data from the transcriptions were thoroughly analyzed. The findings were categorized into four overall themes. In theme one, Perceptions of Parent Involvement, it was found that these mothers perceived themselves as being involved in their children’s education. In theme two, Facilitators of Parent Involvement, it was found that parents were more compelled to be involved in their children’s education when educators communicated effectively, valued parent input, and exhibited love and positive attitudes towards parents and children. Findings showed that the absence of these traits were Barriers of Parent Involvement, which was theme three. In the last theme, Recommendations to Teachers and School Administrators to Increase Parent Involvement, study participants shared several recommendations to increase parent involvement. My study concluded that professionals in the field should broaden their definition of parent involvement to include home-based activities of African American parents of children with special needs, such as engaging their children in home learning activities to teach them independence. Moreover, parents felt more compelled to visit the school and engage in other parent involvement activities, like attending school meetings, for example, when they perceived that school personnel valued parents’ contributions. These parents’ views were similar to insights gathered from African American parents in previous research. However, views that emerged from this current research that are different from previous studies include parents’ recommendations that school personnel communicate with parents using the parents’ preferred method, and that teachers and school staff exhibit love and positive attitudes towards parents and children.

The present study examined the effectiveness of a shared storybook reading intervention in increasing children’s early numeracy and early literacy skills through a multiple baseline single case design. Four parent-child dyads were included in the study, and children’s early numeracy and early literacy skills were measured using the eNumeracy Early Math Assessments and the Preschool Early Literacy Indicators, respectively. The study also measured mathematical dialogue to determine if an increase in children’s early numeracy skills is due to the intervention and not other confounding variables. Finally, the study measured intervention integrity, and parent ratings of social validity. Results of the study indicated that parent-child mathematical dialogue increased for three participants and could not be calculated for the fourth participant due to attrition. Visual analysis and hierarchical linear modeling results indicated no statistically significant early numeracy or literacy outcomes across participants. A masked visual analysis indicated that there was an observable difference in children’s scores on the eNumeracy Ordinal Position measures, but none of the other outcome measures. Additionally, the majority of parents were able to implement the intervention with integrity and all parents reported high levels of social validity. The findings of this study show that the parent directed shared mathematical storybook reading intervention was effective in increasing mathematical dialogue between parents and children. Future studies should examine the impact of shared mathematical storybook reading interventions on discrete early numeracy and literacy skills specifically targeted during the book reading interventions.