Parental Involvement between Two Different Urban Communities

Parent involvement is an integral part of a child’s educational progress. In some cases, students ’ academic achievement can be directly related to the level of parental involvement exhibited in schools. Families ’ perception of roles toward parental involvement in schools may vary among groups from diverse cultures. In today’s urban schools, the increasing diversity of cultures may contribute to differences in levels of parental involvement. The purpose of this research is to address the need to promote parental participation in the educational process of their children. This study will focus on three research questions: Are there differences in levels of parental involvement after participating in a program designed to assist them with their children’s reading skills? Are there changes in the attitudes of families towards parental involvement after participating in the instructional cycle? Is there a relationship between the level of parental involvement and student academic achievement? Theoretical Framework Parental involvement has dramatically changed throughout the past two centuries in the United States. Originally, this involved supporting teachers and the schools ’ needs by attending meetings, school events, and helping with homework. Currently, the needs of children, teachers