Abstract
Parent involvement in children’s education is an important element in enhancing academic achievement and promoting positive behavior in young people. This qualitative study uses a Grounded Theory approach to examining parent’s perceptions of their ability or inability to be involved in their children’s education by querying about factors impacting involvement and their experiences overcoming barriers. A semi-structured interview guide was used to collect data on parents (N = 12) of youth who participate in a public housing after-school program by way of focus groups. Results suggest that parents are hopeful about engaging in education, but often fail to become actively involved because they feel marginalized. Furthermore, tangible barriers, a hurdle they were previously able to combat, was more challenging for them to overcome in the face of oppression. Marginalization is manifested cyclically for these parents. Implications for strategies helping parents become more involved in the educational process are identified.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abrams, L. S., & Gibbs, J. T. (2002). Disrupting the logic of home-school relations: Parent involvement strategies and practices of inclusion and exclusion. Urban Education, 37, 384–407.
Anthony, E. K., Alter, C. A., & Jenson, J. M. (2009). Development of a risk and resilience based out of school time program for children and youth. Social Work, 54, 45–55.
Bacete, F. J. B., & Remirez, J. M. (2001). Family and personal correlates of academic achievement. Psychological Reports, 88(2), 533–548.
Bengtson, V. L. (2001). Beyond the nuclear family: The increasing importance of multigenerational bonds. Journal of Marriage and Family, 63, 1–16.
Borg, C., & Mayo, P. (2001). From ‘adjuncts’ to ‘subjects’: Parental involvement in a working-class community. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 22(2), 245–266.
Brown, L., & Strega, S. (2005). Research as resistance: Critical, indigenous, and anti-oppressive approaches. Toronto: Canadian Scholars’ Press/Women’s Press.
DePlanty, J., Coulter-Kern, R., & Duchane, K. A. (2007). Perceptions of parent involvement in academic achievement. The Journal of Educational Research, 100(6), 361–368.
Drummond, K. V., & Stipek, D. (2004). Low-income parents’ beliefs about their role in children’s academic learning. Elementary School Journal, 104, 197–213.
Eamon, M. K. (2004). Digital divide in computer access and use between poor and non-poor youth. Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, 31(2), 91–112.
Eccles, J. S., & Harold, R. D. (1993). Parent-school involvement during the early adolescent years. Teachers College Record, 94, 568–587.
Epstein, J. L., & Sheldon, S. B. (2002). Present and accounted for: Improving student attendance through family and community involvement. The Journal of Educational Research, 95, 308–318.
Fan, X., & Chen, M. (2001). Parental involvement and students’ academic achievement: A meta analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 13, 1–22.
Fantuzzo, J., McWayne, C., & Perrty, M. A. (2004). Multiple dimensions of family involvement and their relations to behavioral and learning competencies for urban, low-income children. School Psychology Review, 33(4), 467–480.
Farber, B. A., & Azar, S. T. (1999). Blaming the helpers: The marginalization of teachers and parents of the urban poor. American Journal of Orthopsychology, 69(4), 515–528.
Griffith, J. (1996). Relation of parental involvement, empowerment, and school traits to student academic performance. The Journal of Educational Research, 90(1), 33–41.
Gutman, L. M., & Midgley, C. (1999). The role of protective factors in supporting the academic achievement of poor African American students during the middle school transition. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 29(2), 223–248.
Hick, S. (2006). Technology, social inclusion and poverty: An exploratory investigation of a community technology center. Journal of Technology in Human Services, 24(1), 53–67.
Hoover-Dempsey, K. V., & Sandler, H. M. (1995). Parental involvement in children’s education: Why does it make a difference? Teachers College Record, 97(2), 310–331.
Jeynes, W. H. (2003). A meta-analysis: The effects of parental involvement on minority children’s academic achievement. Education & Urban Society, 35(2), 202.
Jeynes, W. (2005a). Effects of parental involvement and family structure on the academic achievement of adolescents. Marriage and Family Review, 37(3), 99–115.
Jeynes, W. (2005b). The effects of parental involvement on the academic achievement of African American youth. The Journal of Negro Education, 74(3), 260–274.
Jeynes, W. (2005c). A meta-analysis: The effects of parental involvement on minority children’s academic achievement. Education and Urban Society, 35(2), 202–218.
Krueger, R. (1988). Focus groups: A practical guide to applied research. Newbury Park: Sage Publications.
Lareau, A. (1987). Social class differences in family–school relationships. Sociology of Education, 60, 73–85.
Lareau, A. (1989). Home advantage: Social class and parental intervention in elementary education. New York: Falmer Press.
Lareau, A. (2000). Home advantage: Social class and parental intervention in elementary education (2nd ed.). Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.
Lewin, C., & Luckin, R. (2010). Technology to support parental engagement in elementary education: Lessons learned from the UK. Computers & Education, 54(3), 749–758.
Lincoln, Y., & Guba, E. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. London: Sage Publications.
Menning, C. L. (2002). Absent parents are more than money: The Joint effect of activities and financial support on youths’ educational attainment. Journal of Family Issues, 23(5), 648–671.
Morgan, D. (1988). Focus groups as qualitative research. Beverly Hills: Sage Publications.
Muller, C. (1995). Maternal employment, parent involvement, and mathematics achievement among adolescents. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 57, 85–100.
Patton, M.Q. (2002). Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methods. 3rd Ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publishing.
Muller, C., & Kerbow, D. (1993). Parent involvement in the home, school, and community. In B. Schneider & J. S. Coleman (Eds.), Parents, their children, and schools (pp. 13–42). Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
Rah, Y., Choi, S., & Nguyen, T. (2009). Building bridges between refugee parents and schools. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 12(4), 347–365.
Rubin, H. J., & Rubin, I. S. (2005). Qualitative interviewing: The art of hearing data (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publishing.
Saldana, J. (2009). The coding manual for qualitative researchers. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publishing.
Sheldon, S. B. (2002). Parent’s social networks and beliefs as predictors of parent involvement. Elementary School Journal, 102, 301–316.
Sheldon, S. B., & Epstein, J. L. (2005). Involvement counts: Family and community partnerships and math achievement. The Journal of Educational Research, 98, 196–206.
Sui-Chu, E. H., & Willms, J. D. (1996). Effects of parental involvement on eighth-grade achievement. Sociology of Education, 69, 126–141.
Turney, K., & Kao, G. (2009). Barriers to school involvement: Are immigrant parents disadvantaged? Journal of Educational Research, 102(4), 257–271.
Voorhis, F. L. (2003). Interactive homework in middle school: Effect on family involvement and students’ science achievement. The Journal of Educational Research, 96, 323–339.
Wa Wong, S., & Hughes, J. N. (2006). Ethnicity and language contributions to dimensions of parent involvement. School Psychology Review, 35(4), 645–662.
Walker, J. M. T., Shenker, S. S., & Hoover-Dempsey, K. V. (2010). Why do parents become involved in their children’s education? Implications for school counselors. Professional School Counseling, 14(1), 27–41.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Yoder, J.R., Lopez, A. Parent’s Perceptions of Involvement in Children’s Education: Findings from a Qualitative Study of Public Housing Residents. Child Adolesc Soc Work J 30, 415–433 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-013-0298-0
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-013-0298-0