Components of Latinx parental involvement in high school

The Latinx population is the fastest-growing and largest ethnic group in the United States with accompanying growth in the student population. Parental involvement among Latinxs in education is a challenge because of cultural and educational limitations of parents. Understanding components of Latinx parental involvement in high school has the potential to increase parental involvement. The purpose of this quantitative, descriptive survey study was to explore components of how Latinx parents of high school students in a south Texas community are involved in their child’s education. Epstein’s model of parental involvement was the theoretical model which framed the study. Involvement of Latinx parents in their high school student’s education and the components of parental involvement of Latinx parents were researched. Grover’s (2015), Family Involvement Questionnaire – High School Version was utilized to determine how Latinx parents of high school students are involved in their child’s education and how components of involvement cluster into dimensions among Latinx parents of high school students involved in their child’s education. A volunteer sample of 120 participants met sampling adequacy criteria. Participants were sought from a high school of interest in south Texas. A principal components analysis technique was employed. Results indicated that Latinx parents are involved in their child’s education but in unique ways different than traditional parental involvement has been defined, such as volunteering at school, attending parent-teacher conferences, and participating in extracurricular activities. Instead, Latinx parents are involved in home-based academic motivation such as communicating with their children and school staff about expectations and achievements, creating and maintaining expectations at home, holding the child accountable, and talking about their future. Recommended is for school personnel to recognize and encourage continued home-based involvement and implement to encourage Latinx parental involvement in high school