Parental Involvement Improves
Student Achievement
 When parents are involved in their
children’s education at home, they do better in school. And when
parents are involved in school, children go farther in school—and the
schools they go to are better.
Parents want and need
information about what’s happening in their child’s classroom and how
they can help. The information and resources presented here can help
meet that need.
Some parents and
families are able to be involved in many ways. Others may only have
time for one or two activities. Whatever your level of involvement, do
it consistently and stick with it because you will make an important
difference in your child’s life.
Involvement can mean:
- Reading to your
child
- Checking homework
every night
- Discussing your
children's progress with teachers
- Voting in school
board elections
- Helping your
school to set challenging academic standards
- Limiting TV
viewing on school nights
- Becoming an
advocate for better education in your community and state.
Or, it can be as
simple as asking your children, "How was school today?" But ask every
day. That will send your children the clear message that their
schoolwork is important to you and you expect them to learn. Here are
just some of the reasons it is important for parents to be actively
involved:
- The family makes
critical contributions to student achievement from pre-school
through high school. A home environment that encourages learning is
more important to student achievement than income, education level
or cultural background. (Henderson and Berla)
- In 1994, the
College Board found that reading achievement is more dependent on
learning activities in the home than is math or science. Reading
aloud to children is the most important activity that parents can do
to increase their child’s chance of reading success.
- When parents are
involved at school as well as at home, children do better and stay
in school longer. (Henderson and Berla)
- When children and
parents talk regularly about school, children perform better
academically. (Aston & McLanahan, 1991; Ho & Willms, 1996; Finn,
1993)
- Three kinds of
parental involvement at home are consistently associated with higher
student achievement: actively organizing and monitoring a child’s
time, helping with homework and discussing school matters. (Finn,
1998)
- Parents who read
to their children before they enter school give their children a
boost toward reading success. Talking to children about books and
stories read to them also supports reading achievement. (Lawrence
Erlbaum Associates, Inc. 1996. Developing Engaged Readers in
School and Home Communities. Rahway, N.J.: Author.)
- The earlier that
parent involvement begins in a child’s educational process, the more
powerful the effects. (Kathleen Cotton and Karen Reed Wikelund.
“Parent Involvement in Education,” Research You Can Use. NW
Regional Educational Laboratory.)
- Positive results
of parental involvement in their children’s schooling include
improved achievement, reduced absenteeism, improved behavior, and
restored confidence among parents in their children’s schooling.
(Institute for Responsive Education. The Home-School Connection:
Selected Partnership Programs in Large Cities. Boston: Author.)
The World Wide Web
offers an abundance of resources to help parents help their children.
Some of the best are available here, from both the National Education
Association and other sources, and we invite you to explore them by
selecting the “Research,”
“NEA
Resources,” and “Other
Resources” links.
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