Parental Involvement in the College-Going Process: A Q Methodology Study

• In Event: Roundtable Session 30
  In Roundtable Session: Interventions and Outreach to Improve College Access

Abstract

This study, through the use of Q methodology, explored parent perspectives about participation in their child’s college-going process while engaged in a federal TRIO pre-college program. Forty parents sorted 33 value statements related to participation in their children’s college-going process. The five factors identified as supporting their participation in the college-going process are: (a) sense of community ”village”, (b) sense of shared accountability and increased parental self-efficacy (c) sense of the parent and student increasing social capital, (d) sense of program relevance and (e) sense of having highly committed program staff. The findings have implications for program development, school practices, and staff training: specifically, how schools and organizations serving families in poverty-stricken neighborhoods can overcome some barriers to parental engagement.

Authors

• Glori Peters, Duval County Public Schools

• Christopher A. Janson, University of North Florida

• Sophie Maxis, University of North Florida