Parent Involvement and Academic Achievement Susan Campbell & Sharon Glasgow EDU Fall 2009

Table of Contents Introduction Statement of the Problem Review of Literature Statement of the Hypothesis

Introduction Research indicates that there are positive academic outcomes stemming from parental involvement with benefits beginning in early childhood throughout adolescence and beyond. (Henderson & Mapp, 2002; Patrikakou, Weisberg, Redding, & Walberg, 2005).

Statement of the Problem As children move up in grades, parent involvement wanes. This research project will attempt to prove that increasing parent involvement will improve children’s academic achievement.

Review of Literature It is a well-established fact that parental involvement is linked to children’s success at school. When parents are involved in their children’s education at home, they do better in school. (Henderson and Berla, 1994)

Review of Literature (continued) Parent involvement is a valuable component of any student’s education. The level of parent–school involvement is a better predictor of grades than are standardized test scores. (Desimone, 1999).

Review of Literature (continued) The 12 years of 180 six-hour days spent in school add up to only 13 % of a student’s waking, learning time during the first 18 years of life. The rest, 87% is spent out of school, primarily at home. (Walberg)

Pros Epstein’s Framework of SixTypes of Involvement: parenting, communicating, volunteering, learning at home, decision making and collaborating with community.

Cons Conventional avenues for involving parents in school can be closed to parents due to specific cultural knowledge.

Hypotheses HR-1Through increased parent participation in their child’s education, grades will improve. HR-2 In two 6 th grade classes of 25 students at PS-Y we will attempt to prove that by reading to children three times a week their grades will improve.

Reading Changes Lives

References Henderson, A. T., & Mapp, K. L. (2002). A new wave of evidence. Austin, TX: National Center for Family and Community Connections with Schools. Patrikakou, E. N., Weissberg, R. P., Redding, S., & Walberg, H. J. (Eds.). (2005). School-family partnerships: Fostering children’s school success. New York: Teachers College Press. Henderson, A. T., & Berla, N. (1994). A new generation of evidence: The family is critical to student achievement. St Louis, MO: Danforth Foundation and Flint. Carey, N., Lewis, L., Farris, E., & Westat, I. (1998). Parent Involvement in Children's Education: Efforts by Public Elementary Schools. National Center for Education Statistics Statistical Analysis Report.