Perceptions of and Barriers to Parental Involvement in Urban High Schools

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW1

Introduction1

History of Parental Involvement2

Defining Parental Involvement3

Conceptual Framework4

Significance of Parental Involvement5

Perceptions of Parental Involvement6

Barriers to Parental Involvement7

No Child Left Behind and Parental Involvement9

Improving Connections between Parents and Educators10

Viable Solutions for Increasing Parental Involvement11

Conclusion12

REFERENCES13

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

Introduction

There are many factors involved in student achievement, but most prominent and well studied is the effect parental involvement has on the educational process as a whole. Most parents do not realize that their participation in the learning environment not only allows them to be more effective as parents, but also builds the skills needed to become more effective members of society. Amundson (1988) suggested that parent involvement is critical to a child's success in school, because it reinforces and helps sustain the effects of receiving a good education.

Researchers have feverously documented the importance of parent involvement in the educational setting throughout the child's educational tenure. Antunez maintained that when a parent is involved in his or her child's education, “students achieve more, regardless of socioeconomic status, ethnic/racial background, or the parents' education level” (Antunez, 2000). Evidence points to the necessity of parental involvement in their children's education at the high school level in order for the student to be successful in completing the diploma requirements.

Repeatedly in literature, the research correlates parental involvement to student success. The purpose of this literature review is to detail and discuss the importance of that involvement. Increased parental involvement in the educational setting has had some positive effects for parent, teacher and student (Eagle, 1989). The focus of this study is to identify barriers that impede parent involvement in the educational setting.

History of Parental Involvement

The importance of an effective parent-school collaboration dates as far back as the early 1600s. According to Berger (1991), John Locke, commissioner of the Lender Board of Trade and an advocate of parental involvement, believed that parents who were not capable of adequately raising their children should give up their parental rights. Locke believed that by giving up these rights the parents were improving their child's chance of becoming a productive member of society. Although the importance of parental involvement was evident in other parts of the country, it did not become effective in the United States until the 19th century.

Berger (1991) mentioned that during this time there were three major theories for the basis of child rearing and parental involvement. The first theory was the Calvinist doctrine, which took in the belief that to spare the rod is to spoil the child. According to Berger (1991), in the early 1900s, Portland, Maine, became one of the first areas to conduct parental education classes. Due to the influence children received from their environment, the church and government believed it was necessary to educate parents. Although most of the families who were involved in their children's education were from middle-class homes, lower-class families began to develop similar concepts within their communities.

Parent support and education became so important that by ...