Research shows that children are more likely to succeed academically when their families are involved in their education.
How Can Parents Get Involved?
Involvement in your child's education 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.
Related articles and research on parental involvement:
Parent Involvement - Current research on parent involvement and the outcomes. (National Middle School Association, 2006)
Parent Involvement in Education - Research brief addressing such questions as Is parent involvement a valuable resource for schools struggling to provide state-of-the-art instruction with diminishing funds? Does it instill pride and interest in schooling? K. Cotton & K. R. Wikelund (Northwest Regional Education Lab, 2001).
National Standards for Parent/Family Involvement Programs - Standards for effective parent and family involvement programs including activities addressed by six standards. (PTA, 1997)
What Research Says About Parent Involvement in Children's Education - Highlights the relationship between parent involvement and academic achievement and references Joyce L. Epstein's six types of parent involvement. (Michigan Department of Education, 2002)
A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of School, Family, and Community Connections on Student Achievement A. T. Henderson & K. L. Mapp. (Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, 2002) Report Conclusion.
Summary of Research on Parent Engagement - Lists the benefits of parent engagement. The full report, A New Generation of Evidence: The Family is Critical to Student Achievement, covers 66 studies, reviews, reports, analyses, and books. Offers concrete reasons "why" and "how" educators should involve parents in their student's education. (Center for Law and Education, 1996)
(NEA-http://www.nea.org/parents/index.html)
A Dozen Activities to Promote Parent Involvement!: