Parent Perceptions of School Fit

• In Event: Roundtable Session 11
  In Roundtable Session: The Voice of the Child and the Parent: Family Engagement Practices Up Close and Personal

Abstract

Previous research has emphasized that appropriate matching of the educational environment to students’ developmental needs is important for student motivation and achievement. Since many parents have a deeper understanding of their children’s academic and social needs than any other adults involved in children’s lives, understanding parent perceptions can be crucial for measuring how well a particular school fits a particular child. Yet, research thus far has only focused on teacher and student perceptions of school fit. In the present article, we describe the development process of a scale assessing parental perceptions of school fit, examine school fit by subgroups of parents, and conclude with implications for how educators and researchers alike.

Authors

• Sofia Bahena, Harvard University

• Beth Schueler, Harvard University

• Hunter Gehlbach, Harvard University