Parent Involvement in High School: A Multilevel Analysis of Parents and Schools

• In Event: 49.055 - Context Matters: How Social, Legal, and Professional Settings Affect Charter Schools and School Choice

Abstract

In this paper, I examine the degree to which parent involvement in US high schools varies by school sector (i.e., public, choice, private), and the factors that influence variation among schools. As public education reform, schools of choice should facilitate greater parent involvement—especially for parents from underserved groups. I use hierarchical linear models to analyze data about parents and schools from the Education Longitudinal Study (2002). Findings reveal that parent participation differs significantly across race and school type, and suggest that black parents are most involved public schools. Results highlight the importance of studying parent- and school- level factors for understanding whether and how school reform can overcome racial and socioeconomic constraints to facilitate more collaborative family-school relationships.

Author

• Ebony M Duncan, Washington University in St. Louis