Parents section
It is no wonder that parent involvement with the
schools has become a major educational issue in the 1990s.
This is an era of increasing concern about the quality of
education in this country. States are taking a greater role
in monitoring and maintaining academic standards. Communities
are ever more watchful of the expense of public education.
Local schools are concerned about continuing to provide
high-quality teaching and other services with dwindling
resources. And parents want assurance that their children
will receive adequate preparation to lead rewarding adult
lives.
Is parent involvement a valuable, if largely untapped, resource for schools struggling to provide state-ofthe-art instruction with diminishing funds--a way to instill pride and interest in schooling, increase student achievement, and enhance a sense of community and commitment? Or is it one more responsibility to add to overburdened teachers and administrators--or even a threat to the autonomy and professionalism of the schools? |
 |
 |
This review of
the literature on parent involvement examines
these issues, focusing, in particular on the following
five areas:
|
|
|
Does parent involvement have
positive effects on student achievement? If so,
what type of involvement works best?
|
|
|
What are the effects of parent
involvement on other student outcomes, such as
attitude, self-concept, classroom behavior, and
attendance?
|
|
|
Is parent involvement useful
beyond the preschool and early elementary grades--in
middle school and high school? If so, what form
should it take?
|
|
|
What is known about the uses
of parent involvement in predominantly minority
and/or lower income communities?
|
|
|
What, if any, effects on
children's schooling can be attributed to parent
involvement in the governance of schools?
|
