TITLE Impact of Parent Involvement on Children's Development and Academic Performance: A Three-Cohort Study.

This study examined the possibility of a "threshold " of parent involvement with their children's preschools, that can lead to positive child outcomes in a sample of hard-to-engage families. Three cohorts of preschool children were studied, most from low-income, single-parent families. Teachers were interviewed to determine extent of contact they had with each child's parent(s). A global measure (yes/no) of parent involvement was used; categories of contact included parent-teacher conference, home visit by teacher, extended class visit by parent, and parental help with class activity. Two groups of children were formed based upon low or high parent-teacher contact. Measurement was made of children's development in four domains (communication, daily living skills, socialization, and motor) and of mastery in four basic skill areas (verbal, math/science, social/work habits, and physical). Because no significant cohort differences in parent involvement were found, further analyses combined cohorts. Results showe