Beyond the Booster Club: Parent Engagement and Students' Academic Eligibility in High School Athletics

• In Event: 33.079 - Roundtable Session 12
  In Roundtable Session: 33.079-1 - Diverse Lenses of Engagement: Teachers, Students, Parents

Abstract

At the high school level, students are exposed to a number of activities such as sports, arts, academic assistance, computer technology, and other creative or academic outlets. While such programs are usually open to all youth interested in participating, the research suggests that they are particularly valuable for at-risk and minority students (Woodland, 2012). This paper details a qualitative case study of one mid-sized urban high school in Massachusetts with a high population of Latino students. Our work attempts to critically examine the multiple perspectives of parents, students, coaches, and administrators to determine how eligibility requirements for participation in school sports impact outcomes for minority students.

Authors

• Elizabeth Cox, Boston College

• Joelle Marie Pedersen, Boston College