Parent Involvement in Public Education : A Literature Review May 2008

Throughout contemporary American educational circles, the involvement of parents and other caregivers in their children’s schooling experiences is becoming increasingly viewed not simply as a complement to the work of educators, but as a critical and essential support for the academic, psychological, and emotional development of youth. Within research literature, there is a growing perception of the potential of parent involvement to raise the academic achievement of all students, making it an integral component for school reform initiatives (Education Trust, 2003; Henderson & Mapp, 2002). Federal mandates regarding parent involvement are also included in the No Child Left Behind Act, thus intensifying the focus on engaging parents even further. Indeed, recent research shows that a number of family and home factors are linked to student achievement, including factors related to parent involvement in their children’s education at home and at school, further confirming the importance of parent involvement (Barton & Coley, 2007). Yet despite the widespread interest in parent involvement, figuring out what parent involvement actually entails – and how to effectively achieve it – remain challenges for schools and districts across the nation even as they work to build strong partnerships between schools and families. This literature review identifies prominent themes in educational research on parent involvement in an attempt to summarize current understandings of what parent involvement is, why it is important, and the challenges associated with making it work. This review ends with several examples of effective strategies to engage parents. While not meant to be an exhaustive or comprehensive review of the literature on parent involvement, this review provides a snap shot of the current landscape around parent involvement in public education.