Enlisting Collective Help: Urban Principals’ Encouragement of Parent Participation in School Decision-Making

• In Event: Roundtable Session 116
  In Roundtable Session: Leadership for Authentic Family and Community Partnerships: Research Perspectives to Inspire Practice

Abstract

Purpose
This study explores the extent to which elementary school principals take action that reflects prevailing policy rhetoric about the importance of fostering engaged and participatory parents, particularly in schools serving low-income communities. Drawing on data from a survey of principals in a large urban school district, we explore: a) whether principals’ parent involvement practices differ across Title 1 and non Title 1 schools; and b) the principal and school characteristics associated with high proportions of parents participating in school decision-making.

Perspectives/Framework
While there is a good deal of scholarship documenting the role of school leaders in promoting parent involvement in more or less successful ways (Auerbach, 2010; Hein, 2003; Lopez, Scribner & Mahitivanichcha, 2001; Sheldon & Van Voorhis, 2004; Epstein, Galindo & Sheldon, 2010), less has been written about how principals encourage parents to participate in decision-making. Parent participation in school decision-making matters (particularly for low-income parents of color and immigrant parents) because it forges a sense of legitimacy, increases the problem-solving capacity of schools, and fosters civic engagement and democracy (Rogers, 2004; Terriquez & Rogers, forthcoming).

Methods
We employed an ordinal logistic regression technique to determine the factors that are related to high levels of parent participation in decision-making among the elementary schools. The basic empirical model suggests that the number of parents involved in decision-making is a function of school characteristics, principal characteristics, parent participation in other school-sanctioned events, and principal beliefs and actions.

Data source
In spring 2008, school site administrators in a large urban school district were invited to participate in a 15 minute online survey on parent involvement. More than 200 principals completed the survey, 141 of whom were elementary school principals.

Results/Arguments
Our analysis points to two broad findings. First, the time and commitment that principals devoted to parent involvement and community engagement was strongly related to the proportion of low-income students enrolled in the school. On average, principals of schools with small proportions of low-income students reported that they spent far more time on parent involvement activities, participated in the community and interacted with community members more often, and knew more parents than their peers leading Title 1 schools. Second, several factors predict the number of parents who participate in decision-making in elementary schools. Large school size, schools with female principals, and schools with principals who provided parents with information about how to impact policy were all associated with higher numbers of parents participating in decision-making.

Significance
Findings reveal that principals of Title 1 schools, on average, invested less time in parent and community involvement than their peers in schools enrolling fewer low-income students. This outcome is particularly troubling given that policymakers have targeted attention on parent involvement in Title 1 schools as a strategy for reducing the achievement gap. A more hopeful conclusion can be drawn from the study’s findings that certain school and principal characteristics are associated with high rates of parent participation in decision-making. Further research may build on these findings to illuminate policies and practices that increase participation.

Authors

• John S. Rogers, University of California - Los Angeles

• Rhoda Freelon, University of California - Los Angeles