A case study of parent involvement and school outcomes

This study was concerned with the role parents play in improving the education of their child. This research was designed to investigate whether parent involvement in the decision-making process can affect student achievement, school climate, and school leadership. The research questions investigated were: (1) How does each of Epstein\u27s five types of parent involvement relate to academic performance? (2) Does parent participation encourage confidence among teachers and administrators? (3) What types of administrator and teacher behaviors invite parent involvement in the shared decision-making process? (4) How does administration encourage a partnership between home and school? (5) How will parent participation improve the nature and quality of educational services? This qualitative case study relied upon data obtained from interviews, observations, and documents from the four schools being studied. The inclusion of two survey instruments provided quantitative data and contributed to the triangulation of information. This was a case study guided by categories developed in the effective schools research. These were school leadership, school climate, and shared decision-making. Participants were observed, surveyed, and interviewed at their individual schools or by telephone. All participants were interviewed both formally and informally. Two survey instruments were administered to compare and contrast the information collected. The researcher checked interpretations with individuals interviewed or observed, staying on site over a period of time, asking peers to comment on emerging findings, and clarifying research assumptions. The findings of this researcher support that all parents want to be involved with their children\u27s education. Schools should examine both family and school practices in order to plan appropriate parenting programs with the capability of reaching all families. Also, the findings of this study indicate that the school personnel and their practices, especially teachers, influenced whether or not parents were productive partners in their child\u27s education