Parent Involvement in Children’s Education: Implications for School Outcomes among Parents at Risk

Soumya Alva, Westat, Inc.
Kevin H. O'Donnell, Westat, Inc.

Research shows that parent involvement is related to children’s grades in school, test scores and grade retention. Furthermore, in an era of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) where schools are required to ensure that all children receive a high quality education, the role of the parent has become all the more important. Therefore, the intergenerational transmission of economic resources, human capital and cultural capital through parental involvement for the benefit of the child is particularly relevant. There is also an increasing need for parents of disadvantaged children to stay on par with parents of more advantaged children to ensure that they are not disadvantaged in terms of school outcomes. Using data from the National Household Education Surveys Program: Parent and Family Involvement Survey, 1996 and 2003, this study examines trends in parent involvement in the school and home over the past decade particularly focusing on parents of children at risk.