Importance of Parental Involvement in School Activities

Positive and Consistent Outcomes

• A 2005 Harvard Family Research Project analysis of 77 studies on the importance of parental involvement in children's education concluded that the studies consistently associated higher parental involvement with high levels of student achievement in areas including teacher ratings, grades, and standardized test scores. Both the Harvard and Michigan Department of Education reports observed that these improvements were consistent across socioeconomic backgrounds, with effects that were significant regardless of ethnicity and social status. The Michigan report also noted that parental involvement was twice as predictive of success as socioeconomic status.

Involvement Crucial Across All Grade Levels

• Active parental involvement is especially important as students transition into higher levels of schooling, such as from middle school to high school. Yet, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Education, those times are usually when parents become less involved -- partly due to notions that students should be becoming more independent and responsible, and also because parents feel as though they are not as familiar with subject material as they were in younger school years. Research from Vanderbilt University has shown that even at these levels, parents can still remain involved in their children's education, as children learn solutions to problems by explaining it to listeners without help.

Forms of Involvement

• Parental involvement does not mean only being available to assist with homework. It also entails showing an interest, asking about classes, attending school events and being in touch with teachers about concerns and progress.

  Additionally, researchers at Johns Hopkins University specified six major forms of parental involvement for schools to incorporate into their programs. These included communicating with parents about ongoing student progress and upcoming school programs; assisting parents with understanding of child development at each grade level; involving parents in at-home learning activities; providing volunteer opportunities for families to support school programs; including parents in major school decisions; and providing families with access to community resources, as well as with opportunities to serve the community.

Most Impactful Forms of Involvement

• Both the Harvard and Michigan Department of Education reports showed that consistently established and preexisting parental support had more impact on student performance than parental involvement in school programs, although the latter demonstrated some effect. Parents who established high, yet realistic academic expectations and standards for their children's performance and achievement had the most significant influence on educational outcomes. High-achieving students tended to have parents that set higher standards than did low-achieving students. The Harvard analysis found that although reading with children at home had a smaller impact, its demonstrated influence across studies was notably consistent.