A new report highlights some nuances in the ways parents from different demographic groups engage with their children and their schools.
Released last month by the Center for Public Education, the report notes, for instance, that attending school meetings or events is the leading form of participation among all parents. Yet, when race is taken into account, the percentages of parents who embrace that activity seem to shift. African-American and Hispanic parents, while less likely to attend PTA meetings or serve on a school committee than white parents, are more likely to check their child’s homework. According to national survey data, 82 percent of white parents said an adult checks homework compared with 94 percent of African-American parents and 91 percent of Hispanic parents.
While all types of parent involvement are beneficial to student achievement, the biggest gains come when a healthy partnership exists between schools and parents, the report states. Encouraging families to support their children’s learning at home, one of the six types of parent involvement the report identifies, is often the best way to achieve this partnership.
A version of this article appeared in the September 14, 2011 edition of Education Week as Parent Involvement