The Effects of African American Middle School Students' Perceptions of Parental Involvement and Expectations on Academic Achievement

• In Event: 29.086 - Promoting Gap-Closing Outcomes in the 21st Century for Students From Diverse Backgrounds

Abstract

Over the last three decades, research has found that parent involvement has a direct and positive relationship with higher levels of academic achievement. Research has also found that parent involvement reduces as students move from grade to grade, specifically in the transition from elementary school to middle school. This paper addresses the issue of the lack of African American parental involvement with special attention to students’ perceptions of their parents’ involvement and expectations as it relates to their achievement. Using a sample of 130 students, from grades sixth & eighth, perception scores derived from both scales will be equated to actual achievement scores to determine the relationship between students’ perceptions of parent involvement, parent expectations on students’ academic achievement.

Author

• Yetunde Akinola, Howard University