Increasing Parent Involvement
Increasing parent involvement in their child’s education is often high on the list of goals for schools. There is research supporting the positive effects for a child’s academics if their parents are more involved in their education. School counselors play a role in this because they are often the individuals in schools who are most connected to families. However, we have the opportunity to play a much larger role in our schools if we advocate for our student’s education through the avenue of parent involvement.
The current research supports that when parents are more involved in their child’s school and education, there are several different positive outcomes. First, students show, on average, a .5 to .6 of a standard deviation level above the average in overall educational outcomes. Second, family participation has been shown to be twice as predictive of student academic success as socioeconomic status. This statistic is quite shocking and shows just how effective an increased level of parent involvement could be for any school. Third, students of involved parents have fewer behavioral problems in class but also later on in life. Fourth, when parents are aware of what the students are doing in class and know what their homework is, research shows that they often experience learning gains in reading and math. Finally, older students are less likely to drop out when their parents remain involved. All of these statistics support the school counselors being a leader in attempting to increase parent involvement in their schools.
In one particular useful study, Fishel and Ramirez (2005) found that parent involvement interventions were not generally effective as a whole. However, all of the 24 studies they looked at were all studying the effects of parent involvement interventions on the individual level. They were not necessarily looking as closely at what interventions would do on a more school-wide level. While the populations used were very racially and culturally diverse, they did not include high-school aged students, making this information less pertinent to that age group. What Fisher and Ramirez (2005) did broadly find is that when the interventions are on a larger scale, there are a few strategies that seem more likely to yield academic improvement. These are parent tutoring with a focus on the child’s specific reading problems and a combination of peer and parent tutoring. When either of these interventions is in place, students showed more academic gains. This research supports the school counselors making an effort to increase the level of parent involvement in their schools.
On a professional level, the ASCA National Model has some standards that can be related quite closely to this potential goal. First, the Model says that counselors should have ready, personal connections with parents. This can be done on a more individual level but opens up the opportunity for connections of a more broad school-wide level as well. Second, counselors need to collaborate
and team with others to best plan for students’ success. Because the research supports the importance of parent involvement, being involved in this goal can easily satisfy this standard. Third, counselors should help parents support their student’s academic, social/emotional, personal, and career development at home. By helping parents understand more ways they can be involved at home with their child’s education, this standard is clearly met. The ASCA National Model clearly supports the goal of increasing parent involvement.
National data in parent involvement was collected from 1996 to 2007. These trends show that, on a national level, parents are becoming more involved. They are doing this by attending general school meetings, attending scheduled meetings with teachers, attending school or class events, and volunteering or serving on a committee. These are just a few small ways parents can be involved
and the way parents are able to be involved may look very different for each school.
School counselors play such a large role in advocating for students. While classroom teachers focus on creating the right learning conditions within the classrooms, counselors can assist them further by creating and supporting learning environments at home and school with their parents help.
Increasing parent involvement in their child’s education is often high on the list of goals for schools. There is research supporting the positive effects for a child’s academics if their parents are more involved in their education. School counselors play a role in this because they are often the individuals in schools who are most connected to families. However, we have the opportunity to play a much larger role in our schools if we advocate for our student’s education through the avenue of parent involvement.
The current research supports that when parents are more involved in their child’s school and education, there are several different positive outcomes. First, students show, on average, a .5 to .6 of a standard deviation level above the average in overall educational outcomes. Second, family participation has been shown to be twice as predictive of student academic success as socioeconomic status. This statistic is quite shocking and shows just how effective an increased level of parent involvement could be for any school. Third, students of involved parents have fewer behavioral problems in class but also later on in life. Fourth, when parents are aware of what the students are doing in class and know what their homework is, research shows that they often experience learning gains in reading and math. Finally, older students are less likely to drop out when their parents remain involved. All of these statistics support the school counselors being a leader in attempting to increase parent involvement in their schools.
In one particular useful study, Fishel and Ramirez (2005) found that parent involvement interventions were not generally effective as a whole. However, all of the 24 studies they looked at were all studying the effects of parent involvement interventions on the individual level. They were not necessarily looking as closely at what interventions would do on a more school-wide level. While the populations used were very racially and culturally diverse, they did not include high-school aged students, making this information less pertinent to that age group. What Fisher and Ramirez (2005) did broadly find is that when the interventions are on a larger scale, there are a few strategies that seem more likely to yield academic improvement. These are parent tutoring with a focus on the child’s specific reading problems and a combination of peer and parent tutoring. When either of these interventions is in place, students showed more academic gains. This research supports the school counselors making an effort to increase the level of parent involvement in their schools.
On a professional level, the ASCA National Model has some standards that can be related quite closely to this potential goal. First, the Model says that counselors should have ready, personal connections with parents. This can be done on a more individual level but opens up the opportunity for connections of a more broad school-wide level as well. Second, counselors need to collaborate
and team with others to best plan for students’ success. Because the research supports the importance of parent involvement, being involved in this goal can easily satisfy this standard. Third, counselors should help parents support their student’s academic, social/emotional, personal, and career development at home. By helping parents understand more ways they can be involved at home with their child’s education, this standard is clearly met. The ASCA National Model clearly supports the goal of increasing parent involvement.
National data in parent involvement was collected from 1996 to 2007. These trends show that, on a national level, parents are becoming more involved. They are doing this by attending general school meetings, attending scheduled meetings with teachers, attending school or class events, and volunteering or serving on a committee. These are just a few small ways parents can be involved
and the way parents are able to be involved may look very different for each school.
School counselors play such a large role in advocating for students. While classroom teachers focus on creating the right learning conditions within the classrooms, counselors can assist them further by creating and supporting learning environments at home and school with their parents help.