A Qualitative Case Study on Parental Involvement in a Midwestern Urban Charter School District| Perspectives of Parents, Teachers, and Administrators

• Main Author: Aldridge, Amanda N.
• Language: EN
• Published: Lindenwood University 2015
• Subjects: Educational evaluation|Educational leadership|Individual & family studies
• Online Access: http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=3728022

<p> Research has shown that there can be a positive impact on the child&rsquo;s academic achievement when parents are closely involved with the child&rsquo;s schooling. When parents are involved in the school, they understand what is being taught in the classroom and are usually encouraged to extend the learning at home. When parents value education, students succeed. When parents are invested and show an interest in their child&rsquo;s school, they develop a sense of pride for the school and tend to support the school and teachers in their decisions. This cooperative attitude allows for better, open communication and a team attitude to develop amongst the school community. When children see parents, teachers, and administrators working together, they feel more positive pressure to do well. </p><p> When parents are not involved in their child&rsquo;s schooling, miscommunication, misunderstandings and problems arise. Parents do not understand or value what the school is teaching students, and children see the conflict as a barrier. Children typically mirror their parents&rsquo; beliefs and actions. Therefore, if a parent does not see the value in education, does not know what is being taught, and does not respect the school, administrators, or teachers, the child is likely to mirror those behaviors and attitudes. When this happens, students suffer academically. </p><p> The concern about parent involvement is not new. Many schools understand the importance of parental involvement, but struggle to find the time, resources, and activities to involve parents. Oftentimes, urban areas contain families that have unique obstacles that prevent such involvement. Many strategies need to be utilized in order to ensure that parents are not left out of activities or opportunities. </p><p> The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine the actions taken by one particular charter school district that led to intense parental involvement participation in an urban, metropolitan area. Understanding the obstacles that parents face when becoming involved was a starting point for the research. Understanding how the school utilized particular strategies to form solid relationships with families was vital to the study. Comparing administrator, teacher, and parent perceptions about the school&rsquo;s parental involvement concluded the research.</p>