Family-School Involvement: Relational Processes Influencing Children’s Social-Emotional and Academic Development

• In Event: Speaking Up and Reaching Out: Personal and Social Factors Related to Student Outcomes

Abstract

Educators value families’ involvement in schooling. Reading at home and attending school events are undisputed characteristics of involved parents. Though these are functional ways to help, this traditional view of family-school involvement has led to educational policies that are limited to inviting parents to school and offering general advice concerning home-school routines. Family processes, such as parental aspirations and family closeness, also have been related to achievement. Using the ECLS-K database, we tested a model of family-school involvement to include family relational processes in predicting children’s social-emotional and academic development. Our purpose is to further educators’ thinking about family involvement to include myriad ways parents facilitate school success as well as policies related to how schools engage diverse families.

Authors

• Sondra Smith, University of Florida

• Ellen Amatea, University of Florida

• Walter L. Leite, University of Florida

• Yasemin Kaya, University of Florida

• Kacy Allison Mixon, University of Florida