1	Parent Involvement: The Key to Student Success and Community Support Denise Madden Family Involvement Chair Baltimore County PTA Council 2002 - 2003
2	Introduction Research has shown that when families are involved in their children’s education, children: Earn higher grades Receive higher scores on tests Attend school more regularly Complete more homework Demonstrate more positive attitudes and behaviors Graduate from high school at higher rates Are more likely to enroll in college It is important for PTA leaders to be familiar with and to articulate this research that supports a high degree of parent involvement as they have conversations with administrators, other PTA members, teachers, and school improvement teams.
3	Communication Parents in frequent contact with the school have higher achieving children than children of similar aptitude and family background whose parents have infrequent contact. http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/notes/4/parent-invol.html Parents who perceive that they are receiving frequent and positive messages from teachers demonstrate a tendency to get more involved in their children’s education than do parents who do not perceive that they are receiving such communication. http://www.mcrel.org/products/noteworthy/danj.html Parents report that a “personal touch” by teachers is the most enhancing factor in school relations. http://www.mcrel.org/products/noteworthy/danj.html Parents seem to prefer informal relationships with their children’s teachers through regular contacts through notes and phone calls. http://www.mcrel.org/products/noteworthy/danj.html
4	Communication (continued) Most home-school communication is one way—the school imparting information to parents.” Research found that more than one-third of the parents studied never attended a conference with a teacher; 59% had never received a phone call from a teacher; 96% had never had a home visit. http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/notes/4/parent-invol.html Parents of children whose teachers were high (vs. low) users of school-to-home communications reported greater belief in their ability to influence their children, viewed their children as more motivated, reported higher involvement with their children’s learning, and evaluated their children’s teachers as being more effective. http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/notes/4/parent-invol.html
5	Parents Make a Difference The most accurate predictor of a student’s achievement in school is the extent to which that student’s family can create a home environment that Encourages learning Expresses high expectations for their children’s achievement Becomes involved in their children’s education at school and in the community http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/notes/4/parent-invol.html Parent involvement is positively related to student achievement. http://www.nwrel.org/scpd/sirs/3/cu6.html The more intensively parents are involved in their children’s learning, the more beneficial are the achievement effects. The correlation holds true for all types and ages of students. http://www.nwrel.org/scpd/sirs/3/cu6.html
6	Parents Make a Difference (continued) Parents working directly with their children on learning activities in the home is one of the most effective forms of parent involvement. http://www.nwrel.org/scpd/sirs/3/cu6.html The earlier parent involvement begins, the more powerful the effects. http://www.nwrel.org/scpd/sirs/3/cu6.html Involvement of less-advantaged parents is as effective as the involvement of more educated and well-to-do parents. http://www.nwrel.org/scpd/sirs/3/cu6.html Parent involvement remains beneficial through middle and high school, even though the type of involvement changes. http://www.nwrel.org/scpd/sirs/3/cu6.html Parents make a difference regardless of their own levels of education http://www.nwrel.org/scpd/sirs/3/cu6.html
7	Parents Make a Difference (continued) GPAs of children in grades 6-12 who have involved parents are higher than those whose parents are not involved. http://www.nwrel.org/scpd/sirs/3/cu6.html When schools and families work together to support learning, children tend to succeed in school and throughout life. http://www.nwrel.org/scpd/sirs/3/cu6.html When parents are involved, their children go farther in school and the schools they go to are better. http://eric-web.tc.columbia.edu/families/hard_to_reach/chapter3.html Parent involvement has a powerful effect on eighth graders’ achievement, especially in math and social studies. Disadvantaged preschool children in early intervention programs develop higher skills and more “staying power” if their mothers are actively involved in their learning. http://eric-web.tc.columbia.edu/families/hard_to_reach/chapter3.html Father’s high involvement in their children’s school activities increases the odds of getting mostly A’s by 42% and a mother’s involvement increases the odds by 20%.
8	Parents Make a Difference (continued) Children with high achievement scores have parents with high expectations for them, who respond and interact with them frequently, and who see themselves as teachers of their children. http://eric-web.tc.columbia.edu/families/hard_to_reach/chapter3.html Parent involvement has a positive effect on the rate of homework completed and participation in home-learning activities. It also leads to fewer parent complaints about inconsistent and inappropriate homework. Teachers who involve parents in learning activities at home are viewed by parents as better teachers. http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/notes/4/parent-invol.html Home-based reinforcement has an educationally significant effect on achievement. http://www.pdkintl.org/edres/resbul22.htm Parent expectations have the strongest relationship with higher student achievement. http://www.pdkintl.org/edres/resbul22.htm
9	Volunteering Parents want to be equal partners in the education process. Schools that offer a variety of ways for parents to participate in a well-organized and long-lasting program are most successful. http://www.nwrel.org/scpd/sirs/3/cu6.html The process of parents and teachers working together on a common project has a definite impact on the way each perceives the other. It helps break down barriers, builds partnerships, clear up misunderstandings, etc. http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/notes/4/parent-invol.html Schools’ efforts to promote parent involvement are more significant than parental income and level of education in determining whether or not parents become engaged with the school. There is evidence that schools may not generally support and reward parent involvement. http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/notes/4/parent-invol.html
10	Volunteering (continued) In order to avoid alienating a segment of the parent population, schools must recognize personal preferences, value the different roles volunteers can play, and provide a variety of ways for them to become involved. http://www.nwrel.org/request/march99/article3.html Parent expectations have the strongest relationship with higher student achievement. http://www.pdkintl.org/edres/resbul22.htm
11	Parents as Partners Involving parents in shaping school policies and making educational decisions builds a sense of community and shared values around the common goal of helping children succeed academically. http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/notes/4/parent-invol.html Parent involvement in decision-making promotes more positive relationships between school and parents. http://www.nwrel.org/scpd/sirs/3/cu6.html Parent involvement in decision-making increases parents as advocates for schools in the community. http://www.nwrel.org/scpd/sirs/3/cu6.html Parent involvement in decision-making develops parents’ abilities to serve as resources for their child’s development. http://www.nwrel.org/scpd/sirs/3/cu6.html Parent involvement in decision-making can result in an increase of parents’ skills, thus making them better role models for their children. http://www.nwrel.org/scpd/sirs/3/cu6.html Active parent advisory councils bring significant educational, bureaucratic, and political benefits both for programs and for students. http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/notes/4/parent-invol.html
12	Community Benefits When parents participate, schools experience better parent and community relationships, as well as greater support and respect from the community. Parents serve as advocates for children throughout the community. Participating parents may become more active in community affairs. http://eric-web.tc.columbia.edu/families/hard_to_reach/chapter3.html Schools experience better parent and community relationships, as well as greater support and respect from the community. http://www.nwrel.org/request/march99/article 5.html
13	Program Ideas to Encourage Parental Involvement Book Fair Fall/Spring Fair Family Fun Night Family Reading Night Friday Night at the Movies Ice Cream Social Holiday Gift Shop Spaghetti/Casserole Dinner Talent Show
14	Acknowledgements This information was compiled by Parent Support Services, Baltimore County Public Schools, Office of Professional Development in June 2002. This document was prepared by Denise Madden, Family Involvement Chair, Baltimore County PTA Council, 2002 – 2003