Parentalinvolvement Monicabachtle

Running head: STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC SUCCESS 1
Parental Involvement and Students’ Academic Success
Monica Bachtle
Minnesota State University, Mankato

STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC SUCCESS 2
Abstract
This paper will examine variables that impact parental involvement and the relationship it has to
student achievement. Individual factors that will be examined include parent-teacher support,
family structure, socioeconomic status, and parent-student and student-educator gender. The
influence that parents and educators have on students will be addressed. In addition, this paper
will review methods for increasing parental involvement in the school setting that have been
presented throughout the research on the topic. Following the review a needs assessment will be
presented which was completed in a high school located in southern Minnesota. Participants
were chosen at random to participate in this study from grades 9, 10, and 12. The intent of the
assessment was to measure students’ perceptions in three key areas; parental involvement
importance, parental consequences versus encouragement, and parental involvement and
academic success. In conclusion, future research as well as recommendations for professional
practice will be included in this study.

Strong parental involvement in an adolescent’s academic life in the home and at school
should be a requirement. Throughout this paper parental involvement will be defined as “a
constellation of adult behaviors that support youths’ achievement of school-related demands”
(O’Malley, Voight, Renshaw, Eklund, 2015, p. 143). This literature review will focus on
students in grades K-12.
Several researchers suggest that parental involvement in academics should begin as early
as kindergarten (Monti, Pomerantz & Roisman, 2014). There is a greater likelihood of an
assortment of consequences for adolescents who do not receive the appropriate parental
involvement throughout their high school years. Some of these include: lack of college
readiness, problematic student behaviors, and lower grades resulting in lower acceptance rates
into college programs (Monti et al., 2014).
The consequences that can evolve due to lack of parental involvement in students’
academic lives can have detrimental effects even beyond their high school education. In a study
that examined data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study
of Early Child Care and Youth Development researchers found that when parents display
insensitivity towards their children, the children then detach from their parents (Monti et al.,
2014). The consequence of failing to develop a secure attachment between child and parent
results in the child not viewing their parent as a reliable foundation of support. Students can then
become disengaged, less -attentive and less self-directed, which will eventually interfere with
their learning and lead to lower academic achievement (Monti et al., 2014).
Due to a lack of parental involvement in students’ lives it is important for educators to
understand the consequences. By understanding the consequences, educators can then get
parents more involved and aware. Existing research suggests that parental involvement is vital in
order for adolescents to be successful academically and be college ready (Monti et al., 2014).
When looking at the research there are many ways in which parents can become involved in their
adolescents lives academically. Involvement can take multiple shapes and mean a variety of
different things. Some of the ways in which parents can get involved include: checking
homework consistently, discussing the adolescent's progress with teachers and school staff, and
by becoming an advocate for better education in one’s community and state (Monti et al., 2014).
In a study conducted by Monti et al., (2014) they concluded that parents’ involvement in
children’s education increases the psychological resources necessary for children’s optimal
academic success. Parents who are insensitive towards their children results in a higher risk of
poor academic functioning. It is clear that there is a strong connection between parental
involvement and student performance. In the school setting these results are consistent with the
bulk of the research on the topic (Adamski, Fraser & Peiro, 2013). While it remains unclear
when exactly lack of parental involvement begins to affect student’s academic functioning it is
evident that parents play a large role in student’s academic success and should become involved
early.
Looking further into the influence that parents have on the academic success of their
children, gender has been found to play a moderate role. Throughout the research, the gender of
the parent within the family structure was a commonly explored variable (Heard, 2007).
Children who deal with early life changes such as an absent mother have greater difficulties
academically later on as opposed to an absent father figure which leads children to display
greater discipline in the school setting (Heard, 2007). To understand the impact that parental
involvement has on student’s academic success it is vital to understand the family structure and
who makes up that structure.
Parental support is one major component of parental involvement that is critical for
student’s academic achievement. For the purposes of this paper parental support will be defined
as “Parenting that is empathic, non-controlling, and encouraging toward children’s development
of autonomy” (Liew, Kwok, Chang, Chang & Yeh, 2014, p. 215). In a study conducted by Liew
et al. (2014) involving Chinese American adolescents, researchers concluded that a parenting
style that is empathetic and encouraging towards adolescents promotes academic achievement.
Along with parental support it is important that students receive school-based support. For the
purposes of this paper school based support will be defined as “students that have a positive,
nurturing relationship with their teachers and are encouraged in the school setting” (Hoglund,
Jones, Brown & Aber, 2015, pg. 518). As the research suggests it is important that students
receive support both inside and outside of the school setting from parents and educators.
According to O’Malley et al., (2015), for support from parents and school staff to be
beneficial it is also crucial to understand parental relationships with their children as well as
student-educator relationships. Both healthy and unhealthy relationships can have an impact on
students’ academic success. For the intent of this paper a healthy relationship between a student
and educators will be defined as “school connectedness, relationships with school adults,
opportunity for meaningful participation, perceived school safety, positive learning environment,
low racial or ethnic tension, low substance use, low violence victimization, and low violence
perpetration” (O’Malley et al., 2015, p.143). A healthy relationship between parents and
educators is a critical component of the academic success of students. It was found that
consistent support from educators combined with parents was linked to positive student
academic, social, and behavioral outcomes (Wang et al., 2014). The research also suggests that
student motivation, social and academic skills, and overall mental health are related to the quality
of relationships that students have with their teachers (O’Malley et al., 2015).
Healthy relationships between parent and child are equally as important as student-
educator and parent-educator relationships. While healthy relationships are ideal there are also
unhealthy relationships to take into consideration. In a study conducted by Hoglund et al. (2015)
unhealthy relationships are described by adolescents as parents who show little interest in their
child’s schooling, little support, lack of encouragement, and generally detached. Healthy
relationships at school and at home are essential to ensure the academic success of students.
According to Wang et al., (2014) it is vital that society understand the importance that
parental involvement holds on students’ academic success. Parents influence their children in
both the home environment and the school community setting. The school community reflects
the overall experience of students academically which is why parental involvement in schools is
needed. In an intervention study created to improve school climate and school connectedness in
high schools researchers found positive changes in the school community and parental
involvement in the school setting were related to significant improvements in scores on statewide
achievement tests such as mathematics, reading and writing (Wang et al., 2014).
Research suggests that parental involvement improves student achievement and increases
academic success. Parents may be one of the most critical pieces in determining the level of
academic achievement their child reaches. The impact that parents have on their children’s
academic success is not always a good impact sometimes causing the child more damage than
good. The goal of this paper is to examine: (a) parental influence on student’s academic success,
(b) to examine gender of both parent and student and its relationship to academic achievement,
and (c) to identify the consequences of lack of parental involvement.
Students’ Academic Success
Parental involvement at home and in the classroom is essential for students’ academic
success. Parents can become involved in many ways and make critical contributions to their
child’s success, the earlier they become involved the more positive the outcome will be. When
parents provide support and encouragement throughout their children’s academic career students
benefit immensely. According to Jeynes (2012), when parents are involved in their adolescent’s
education at home and school, students are more successful. When involved, research suggests
that parents can have a dramatic impact on adolescents’ lives if they remain consistent
throughout their academic career (Jeynes, 2012).
Parental Influence on Students’ Academic Success
As stated in the research, parents when viewed as role models are a large driving force
towards adolescents’ academic achievements; therefore it is important that parents are
encouraging and supportive of their child’s academics at home and at school (Kurian, 2012).
Early factors play an essential role in children’s academic achievement and parents’ contribution
has had significant affects throughout the research on students’ academic achievement (Hussain
& Hina, 2015). It is evident based on these findings that the earlier parents become involved in
their children’s lives academically, the more successful children are likely to be.
Several studies have found that parental involvement in the school setting is linked to
students receiving higher test scores on standardized tests, higher grade point averages and in
general they are more academically accomplished (Gordon & Cui, 2014). It is important that
parents are involved in the school setting. They can do so in a variety of ways such as: assisting
their children with homework, contributing to school activities, and helping with school projects.
Gordon and Cui (2014) focused on school-parental involvement and specifically
observed adolescents. The impact that community poverty levels had on the families that they
were working with was accounted for. As a result researchers found that in high poverty level
communities, school-related parental involvement and adolescent's academic success is lower. In
comparison to communities with lower poverty levels academic success is higher (Gordon &
Cui, 2014). When observing parental involvement in the school setting it is important to account
for the community that the school is in as well.
Based on the research, by understanding the type of school and the community that the
school is located in educators can further understand how large of an impact parents will have on
students’ academic success (Gordon & Cui, 2014). In communities that are at higher poverty
levels it is vital that students get as much support as possible from parents but also school staff
members in particular teachers because parents may need to work more than parents in a lower
poverty level community. However, there are many ways that parents of lower socioeconomic
status can get involved. “Assisting with homework in the home setting may provide a way that
low-income families can most flexibly support their children’s academic and social emotional
adjustment due to work demands or their comfort levels” (Hoglund et al., 2015, p. 528).
In determining how large of an impact parents have on the academic success of their
children it is important to understand what adolescents consider to be parental involvement.
Adamski et al., (2013) explored students’ perceptions of parental involvement in a Spanish
classroom environment as well as their attitude towards Spanish and their achievement in the
Spanish class. Researchers found that there was positive and statistically significant relationship
between students’ perceptions of parental involvement and student achievements in Spanish.
In general, research suggests that when there is a healthy parent-child relationship in
place students are higher achieving (Hughes, Wu, Kwok, Villarreal, & Johnson, 2012). Gender
of both parent and child play a moderate role in students’ academic success as well as the
community that the students attend school. Further research on the topic is needed to confirm
the degree of influence that parents have on their children’s academic success when accounting
for family structure, socioeconomic status, and gender.
In addition to examining the influence that parents have on adolescents’ success research
has provided a large amount of evidence supporting teachers having a significant influence on
their academic success. When students perceive their parents and educators as being supportive
and dedicated to their success they are more likely to have higher rates of academic achievement
(Hughes et. al, 2012). Students that perceive their teachers as supportive gain the confidence that
they need to believe in their academic capabilities and therefore try harder in the classroom to
achieve which in return leads to higher academic achievement (Hughes et al., 2012). Parents and
educators play a critical role in the academic achievement of students therefore this topic is one
that should be researched deeply.
The Influence of Parent and Student Gender on Academic Success
When considering gender of parents and students, research has provided a moderate
amount of evidence on the impact it has on academic success. Research suggests that daughters
in single-father households attain substantially higher academic success in contrast to sons living
in single-father households. Sons in single-father households received lower academic
achievement scores regardless of the level of parental involvement (Cho et al., 2007). Gender
plays a large role when considering the academic success of students. Not only does it play a
role for the student but also the parents involved. Research shows that students’ and parents’
responses to one another have a large impact on the success of the student regardless of gender.
When looking at gender in regards to academic achievement research has found that girls
communicate with their parents more openly about school than boys do, often resulting in higher
academic success (Cho et al., 2007).
According to McCormick and O’Connor (2015) when examining the effects of gender,
females are typically higher achieving academically than males. However, some studies suggest
the gender of the student can determine the student-teacher relationship and how willing the
student will be to follow directions, pay attention and complete homework (McCormick &
O’Connor, 2015). Based on these findings it is evident that the stronger the relationship the
student has with their teachers and parents the more likely they are to succeed.
It is important to examine gender differences in students but it is also important to
examine gender in parents. The gender of the parent(s) involved in students’ lives can have a
major impact on their academic success (Heard, 2007). In a study that examined family
structure, researchers closely observed the family structure of the participants and the adults that
the children were living with. Researchers found that dimensions of the family structure
provided subtle hints about the pieces that connect family structure to the level of adolescent
school engagement (Heard, 2007). The number of parents in a household as well as the gender
of those individuals had an impact on the success of students. Lee et al., (2007) found that
overall children receive greater support and influence from their same- gender parent.
However, the findings of Lee et al., (2007) suggest that adolescents living in a single-
father household and are higher academic achieving in comparison to adolescents that live in a
single-mother household is not consistent with earlier studies. In the study conducted by Lee et
al. (2007) researchers state that in an earlier study by Featherman and Hauser, (1978) their
results indicated that children living in single-mother households regardless of the student’s
gender had higher test scores and greater academic achievement. By examining gender in both
parent and child and the relationship that it has to students’ academic achievement researchers
are able to conclude that it does have an impact and something that should be taken into
consideration when measuring adolescents’ academic success.
It is important for there to be more research done that examines gender and the
relationship it has to student achievement. At this time there is a moderate amount of evidence
supporting parent-child gender and the effects it has on academic achievement. More studies
should be conducted on the topic and should include teachers and other school staff that aid
students in becoming more academically successful. Further research in this area is necessary to
determine whether or not gender has a major effect on the academic success of students.
Consequences of Low Parental Involvement
Low parental involvement in students’ academic life can have serious consequences. It is
important that students have support from parents at home and at school. Lack of parental
involvement can result in lower test scores, lower attendance rates and even higher dropout rates
(Stacer & Perrucci, 2012). In a study done by Dumont, Trautwein, Nagy and Nagengast, (2015),
they found that when parents help with homework it appears to benefit students but only when it
is supportive, well structured, characterized by positive affect, accompanied by positive beliefs,
and emotionally supportive. They found that if parents put minimal effort towards helping their
children with homework and other school related activities the level to which they are effective
decreases dramatically. In order for parental involvement to be successful it must remain
consistent from when the child is in elementary school throughout their senior year.
In addition to parental support research shows that family structure can predict rather
accurately how involved parents will be. Families that participated in a study conducted by
Myers and Myers (2014), that was set out to examine different family structures in schools with
different levels of parental involvement found that the greatest levels of parental involvement
came from biological married households as opposed to single-parent households.
Along with parental support and family structure, another study conducted by Stacer and
Perrucci (2012) found that the level of education that the parents of students have received is
linked to the amount of parental involvement a child will receive. The results from this study
showed that parents with a high school education or lower were not nearly as involved with their
child’s academics as parents who held a high school education or higher. The more education
that a parent possessed the more involved they were with their child’s academics both in the
school and at home. Therefore, the consequences of parents with lower education resulted in
low parental involvement and lower grades for their children (Stacer & Perrucci, 2012).
Research has also shown that socioeconomic status has effects on the level of parental
involvement. Students that come from lower socioeconomic status families in general face the
consequences of lower attendance rates and lower grades due to minimal parental involvement
(Stacer & Perrucci, 2012).
In addition to parental support, family structure, parent level of education, and
socioeconomic status, parent-oriented motivation has a large influence on how serious students
will take their academics. When parents do not express to their children that school homework,
activities and extracurricular activities matter their children do not feel the need to work as hard
in these areas. Parents who convey to their children that school is important their children will
see more value in school and therefore work harder and commit more for their parents. The
results of parent-oriented motivation are higher academic achievement rates for students
(Cheung & Pomerantz, 2012).
Questions to be Addressed in Needs Assessment
After examining the current research that has been done on parental involvement and
students’ academic success it is clear that parents have an impact on their children’s academic
success. However, research has also found that the students’ perception of their parents and
teachers is also important in determining to what degree parental involvement impacts students’
academic success. The purpose of this project was to gather a better understanding of how
students perceive the role of their parent(s)/guardian(s) in relation to their academic success.
Methodology
This study took place at a high school located in southern Minnesota, and data was
collected one time. At the time that data was being obtained the high school had roughly 1,000
students enrolled in grades 9-12. The school has been trying new ways to implement
opportunities for parental involvement into their programs, therefore this school was chosen for
this study. In addition, the school staff and administration are open to new suggestions and
discussions about ways to integrate and encourage parental involvement into students’ academic
lives.
Participants
Students. Students in grades 9, 10, and 12 were invited to participate in the research
study by completing a survey. Three classrooms were chosen at random consisting of students
from grades 9, 10, and 12 (grade 11 was unavailable at the time that the survey was being given).
Students were asked to provide the grade level that they are currently in as well as the gender
that they identify with. From the three classrooms 52 students were invited to complete the
survey, of those 52 students 52 agreed to complete it. Of the 52 students there were; 18 ninth
graders, 18 tenth graders, and 16 twelfth graders that completed the survey.
Instruments
The student survey was created using a leading online survey tool, Qualtrics. Students
that attend Minnesota State University have free access to this program which made it a logical
resource to use for creating this survey and gathering data.
Throughout this needs assessment nine specific questions will be addressed:
1. How important is it to you to have your parent(s)/guardian(s) involved at home and at
school?
2. Would monthly grade check-ins with parent(s)/guardian(s) be helpful in keeping you
academically accountable?
3. How often do you and your parent(s)/guardian(s) discuss your academics?
4. To what extent do your parent(s)/guardian(s) help you understand homework content that
you do not understand?
5. How helpful would it be for your school counseling department to have an after school
group session with your parent(s)/guardian(s) to provide resources and information on
ways they can support your learning at home?
6. When doing poorly academically, how often are your given consequences by your
parent(s)/guardian(s)?
7. When given consequences by your parent(s)/guardian(s) do you feel motivated to do
better academically?
8. When doing poorly academically, how often are you encouraged to do better by your
9. When encouraged by your parent(s)/guardian(s) do you feel motivated to do better
academically?
Results and Identifications of Needs
The results from the student survey were reviewed and organized to understand three
specific questions. This research study consisted of a nine- question survey that had direct
relevance to the three overarching questions that the study aimed to answer. First, the research
was intended to find out if parental involvement is important to students. Second, this study was
intended to learn whether students are motivated by consequences or encouragement from
parents when doing poorly academically. Lastly, this research sought to discover if whether
students believe that when parental involvement is present is it effective in helping them obtain
academic success.
Parental Involvement Importance
Students were asked one question in regards to their belief about the importance of
parental involvement. Students were simply asked whether or not parental involvement is
important to them. The results from this question indicated that 36.54% of students believe that
parental involvement is somewhat important; 32.69% state that it is important, 21.15% reported
it as very important, while 9.62% stated it is not important (see Figure 3).
Parental Consequences versus Encouragement
This research study aimed to learn whether students perceive encouragement or
consequences from parents as more effective at motivating them to do better academically.

Students were asked two questions regarding parental consequences and encouragement; the first
two focused on consequences. First, students were asked how often they are given consequences
when doing poorly academically. The results indicated that 40.38% are sometimes given
consequences, 19.23% rarely are, 17.31% often are, 15.38% very often are, and 7.69% never are
(see Figure 8). Second, students were asked if they feel motivated to do better when given
consequences by parents for doing poorly academically. The results indicated that 73.08% are
motivated to do better when given consequences while 26.92% do not feel motivated to do better
(see Figure 9).
Students were asked two questions based on the area of encouragement. First, students
were asked how often they are encouraged to do better when doing poorly academically. The
results indicated that 42.31% are encouraged very often, 28.85% often are, 25.00% sometimes
are, 3.85% rarely are, and 0.00% never are (see Figure 10). Second, students were asked if they
are motivated to do better academically when encouraged by their parent(s)/guardian(s). The
results show that 86.54% do feel motivated to do better while 13.46% do not (see Figure 11).
Parental Involvement and Academic Success
Students were asked four questions on parental involvement and how it relates to their
academic success. First, students were asked how helpful it would be to have monthly grade
check-ins with their parent(s)/guardian(s) to keep them academically accountable. The results
indicated that 40.38% believe that it would be helpful, 36.54% somewhat helpful, 17.31% very
helpful, and 5.77% stated that it would not be helpful (see Figure 4). Second, students were
asked how often they and their parent(s)/guardian(s) discuss their academics. The result show
that 30.77% often discuss their academics, 28.85% sometimes do, 26.92% very often do, 9.62%
rarely do, and 3.85% never do (see Figure 5). Third, students were asked to what extent their
parent(s)/guardian(s) help them understand homework content that they cannot understand. The
results indicated that 30.77% never do, 30.77% rarely do, 25.00% sometimes do, 7.69% very
often do, and 5.77% often do (see Figure 6). Lastly, students were asked how helpful it would be
for the school counseling department in their school have an after school group session with their
parent(s)/guardian(s) to provide them with resources and information to help support student
learning at home. The results show that 46.15% think that it would be somewhat helpful,
34.62% stated not helpful, 17.31% helpful, and 1.92% reported very helpful (see Figure 7).
Discussion of Results as Related to Existing Literature and the School Setting
When comparing the results of the needs assessment to the existing literature it is evident
that parental involvement contributes to students’ academic success a great deal. One of the
major findings in the current research is that when students are provided consistent
encouragement and support their academic success increases. “Parents when viewed as role
models are a large driving force towards adolescents’ academic achievements therefore it is
important that parents are encouraging and supportive of their child’s academics at home and at
school” (Kurian, 2012, p. 252). This research is consistent with the findings in the results of the
needs assessment. When asked, “When encouraged by your parent(s)/guardian(s) do you feel
motivated to do better academically?” 86.54% of students reported that they do feel motivated to
do better academically.
In addition to a supportive and encouraging environment Jeynes 2012 found that when
parents are involved in their student’s education at home and school, students are more
successful. In comparing this research to the needs assessment the results were interesting.
When asked “How important is it to you to have your parent(s)/guardian(s) involved at home and
at school?” 36.54% of students reported that it was somewhat important and 32.69% reported
that it was important. However, when asked “To what extent do your parent(s)/guardian(s) help
you understand homework content that you do not understand?” 30.77% of students stated that
their parents rarely help them and 30.77% reported that their parents never help them. In
comparing the results of the needs assessment to the current research it is evident that this
particular group of students is not receiving the parent-student educational involvement to the
extent that the research suggests that they should be to obtain higher academic success. With the
majority of students reporting that it is important to have their parents involved the majority of
students also reported that their parents are not very involved in particular with homework
assistance. These findings suggest that discovering ways to get parents more involved in their
students’ academics should be of utmost importance.
Counseling Goals, Objectives, and Activities
The needs assessment that was completed led to several insightful findings. The most
critical finding in the needs assessment regarding parental involvement in students’ academics
was the percentage of students that reported monthly grade check-ins with parents would be
helpful. When asked, “Would monthly grade check-ins with parent(s)/guardian(s) be helpful in
keeping you academically accountable?” 40.38% indicated that it would be helpful and 17.31%
stated that it would be very helpful. While parents are informed of grades when a student is
doing poorly and during conferences at the end of each semester, based on the information
gathered in this needs assessment it would be beneficial for counselors to involve parents
potentially in monthly grade check-ins.
With typical school counselors having 300 students minimum on average on their case
load, reaching a high number of parents may seem easier said than done. When considering
ways that counselors could accomplish monthly grade check-ins with each individual student on
their case load there are three ways in particular that come to mind. Three ways that school
counselors could complete monthly grade check-ins are: send letters out through school learning
based websites such as Schoology or a traditional letter home in the mail, make parent phone
calls, and hold a grade check-in event one night a month for a specified period of time.
First, school counselors could send out individual messages through an online school
based learning program such as Schoology if the school uses this form of technology. If the
school does not use an online based program, traditional printed grade reports could be mailed
home to parents monthly. With school counselors having large case-loads this could be a way to
reach a large number of parents without consuming a large amount of time. Included with the
grade reports counselors could attach a brief message stating that if there are student concerns
parents are welcome to schedule a meeting with their student’s counselor or contact them via
email or phone.
Second, parent phone calls once a month reporting student grades could be beneficial.
This option would require more time on the school counselor’s end but could be effective at
ensuring that parents receive the reports directly. As mentioned, this approach would take
additional time. One way that counselors could accomplish this would be to divide their case-
loads and call a specific number of parents a week so that they are not taking a considerable
amount of time away from their daily tasks.
Lastly, holding an event one evening a month where parents can attend to discuss grades
with their student’s school counselor would be ideal. This event could take place for a specified
amount of time, perhaps 4:00-8:00 p.m. During this event counselors could have printed off
student grades prior to the event so that they are ready if the student’s parent chooses to attend.
If the counseling department has a secretary available to attend the event the secretary could
have the printed grades ready to give to parents as they arrive. If parents have additional
concerns once receiving the printed grade sheets they can speak with their student’s counselor.
If they do not have time to wait and see the counselor during the event they can schedule a time
with the secretary to meet with the counselor at a later date. When taking into consideration the
often busy schedules of school counselors I believe that this option would be the most effective
and the least time consuming. This approach allows parents to attend if they wish and does not
require a large amount of additional time on the school counselor’s behalf.
Discussion
This paper examined the impact of different levels of parental involvement in academics
both at home and in the school setting and the impact it has on students’ success. Parental
involvement at home and at school is important to ensure students’ success. Students’
perceptions of their parents and teachers predicted how much effort they were willing to put
forth in the classroom setting. When students view their parents and teachers as supportive and
encouraging in their school work they are more likely to have higher achievement rates.
There are multiple factors that contribute to the level of parental involvement. When
parents are involved in their children’s academics from an early age and continue to remain
involved through their senior year students have a greater chance at being successful. In addition
to parent-teacher support, family structure can also predict how involved parents will be.
Students that are part of a family structure that does not consist of a mother figure have a more
difficult time adapting and furthermore have lower academic achievement rates as opposed to a
child that has a father figure that is absent.
The research also suggests that socioeconomic status of families impacts the amount of
parental involvement children will receive. Students that are part of a family of lower
socioeconomic status receive lower levels of parental involvement in comparison to students
from families of higher socioeconomic status. Parents of lower socioeconomic status and that
are part of a higher poverty level community have lower parental involvement levels than parents
of higher socioeconomic status and that live in communities with lower poverty levels.
Evidence that gender of both parent and child have a moderate influence on parental
involvement is present. Research presented throughout this review states that female students
communicate more openly with their parents than male students which in return leads to them
receiving more support from their parents and teachers resulting in higher academic
achievement. Overall, it was found that females are higher achieving than males. When
examining the parent’s gender coupled with their child’s gender research states that when
students receive academic encouragement and support from their same sex parent for example
male students receiving support from their father and vice versa for female students receiving
support from their mother academic achievement increases. While there is only a moderate
amount of research in regards to the impact that parent-child gender has on parental involvement
it is an important factor to take into consideration when examining the topic.
Findings show that low parental involvement can have dramatic impacts on students’
academic success. Research shows that low parental involvement results in higher dropout rates,
lower test scores, and lower attendance rates. It is vital that parents are involved at home and in
the school setting and are supportive of their children. The consequences for low involvement
result in lower grades and lower achievement. Consistent throughout the research minimal
parental involvement is due to a multitude of factors. The main factors presented throughout this
review include; parent-teacher support, family structure, socioeconomic status, parents’ level of
education, and parent-child gender.

Furthermore, parental involvement in students’ academics is critical. This topic is
important and the research presented is evidence that it is a topic that should be taken seriously
and researched further. Parental involvement can make a difference in a child’s education.
However, the level of parental involvement students receive is what essentially will determine
the impact it has on their success. Understanding all types of parental involvement is important
to ensure that students are receiving the appropriate support in the school setting, at home, and in
their communities.
When getting parents involved in their child’s lives in the school setting it is important
for professionals to clearly state to parents what their roles are while in the schools. When
parents are aware of their roles they are likely to have increased confidence thus enhancing their
abilities to help their child. It is equally important that parents are consistently being invited to
participate in school activities by school professionals. When parents feel as though they are
wanted in the school setting their involvement will typically increase according to (Robbins &
Searby, 2013).
As stated previously, getting parents involved has a large influence on students. While it
is not always easy to get parents involved educators need to make an effort to reach out to
parents and get them involved. When parents feel loved and valued by educators they feel
wanted. Educators should make the effort to warmly welcome parental input. When parents feel
they are wanted in the school setting and their time is appreciated by educators from as early on
in the school year as possible they are more likely to become involved (Jeynes, 2011). Educators
should be examples to parents and demonstrate ways to have healthy relationships and effective
communication with students. Furthermore, schools should provide parental encouragement
programs throughout the school year (Jeynes, 2011).

Consistent with the implications made by Jeynes (2011), Kurian (2012) emphasized the
importance of parental involvement programs, workshops, and parent meetings. It is crucial that
educators understand the importance of parental involvement programs and implementing them
in schools. These programs have the power to promote healthy parent-child relationships,
improve parenting skills, and get parents involved in their children’s academics and school
activities. In sum, educators should see the importance of parental involvement in the schools
and how necessary it is for students’ academic achievement. Implementing parental involvement
programs in the school may be one of the first steps towards higher parental involvement.
Parental involvement in students’ academics is important in order for them to reach their
fullest potential. Some of the consequences of low parental involvement are presented
throughout this paper. It is beyond dispute that parents and teachers have a major influence on
students’ lives academically and therefore it is important that this topic continues to be
researched.
Research has yet to provide solid methods for getting parents more involved. While we
know that parents have a large influence on students’ academic achievement there is little
evidence stating which methods work best to get them more involved on a consistent basis. The
research examined throughout this review focuses on students in K-12 grades but separates the
studies into sections and focuses on students generally three years at a time. Thus, making it
difficult to fully understand when parents have the largest impact in their child’s academics.
In future research it would be beneficial to do a longitudinal study spanning over the
course of a student cohorts entire k-12 career. In addition to examining students over a longer
period of time it would be beneficial for research to focus on family structure and the
involvement of the father and the mother. A better understanding of single family and two
parent families could lead to potential insight on how to get all families further involved.
Overall, the research on parental involvement and students’ academic success lacks
diversity. While some studies focus on different ethnic groups it would be beneficial if there
were more studies that focus on one ethnic group at a time. In addition to creating a more
diverse sample it would be beneficial to have larger sample sizes throughout the research. As
stated previously, research has found that parental involvement is more effective when it begins
at an early age. Studies in the future would benefit from narrowing in on this research and
creating more research supporting it so that it is seen as the most critical component to the
influence of parental involvement on students’ academic success throughout the body of
literature on the topic. Further research on gender and the influence it has on parental
involvement and academic achievement is necessary.
In total, parental involvement at home and in the schools needs to be a main concern in
our school systems, communities, and society as a whole. Getting parents involved should be a
top priority for school staff members especially educators. Future research should aim at
examining methods for getting parents involved and implementing parental involvement into the
classrooms.
Conclusion
In conclusion, parental involvement is vital for students’ academic success. Students
need parents and teachers that are supportive and encouraging beginning in kindergarten and
continuing through their high school years. It is important that as a society we take this topic
seriously and see the importance of parental involvement at home and in the school setting to
ensure that students are receiving the support that they need to reach their highest academic
capabilities.
Parental involvement at home and in the classroom is critical. With the support of
parents combined with teachers, students will benefit tremendously and academic achievement
rates will increase. The students today are the future of our society. Therefore, our continuous
effort to enhance their achievements is an investment I believe we can all agree is worth making.
References
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Appendix A

Group-Student Survey
1. What grade are you in?

 9th
 10th
 11th
 12th
2. What gender do you identify with?

 Male
 Female
 N/A
3. How important is it to you to have your parent(s)/guardian(s) involved at home and at school?
 Not Important
 Somewhat Important
 Important
 Very Important
4. Would monthly grade check-ins with parent(s)/guardian(s) be helpful in keeping you

academically accountable?
 Not Helpful
 Somewhat Helpful
 Helpful
 Very Helpful
5. How often do you and your parent(s)/guardian(s) discuss your academics?

 Never
 Rarely
 Sometimes
 Often
 Very Often
6. To what extent do your parent(s)/guardian(s) help you understand homework content that you
do not understand?
 Never
 Rarely
 Sometimes
 Often
 Very Often
7. How helpful would it be for your school counseling department to have an after school group
session with your parent(s)/guardian(s) to provide resources and information on ways they can
support your learning at home?
 Not Helpful
 Somewhat Helpful
 Helpful
 Very Helpful
8. When doing poorly academically, how often are you given consequences by your
 Never
 Rarely
 Sometimes
 Often
 Very Often
9. When given consequences by your parent(s)/guardian(s) do you feel motivated to do better

academically?
 No
 Yes
10. When doing poorly academically, how often are you encouraged to do better by your
 Never
 Rarely
 Sometimes
 Often
 Very Often
11. When encouraged by your parent(s)/guardian(s) do you feel motivated to do better

academically?
 No
 Yes
Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey!

Appendix B
Figure 1
What grade are you in?
# Answer % Count
1 9th 34.62% 18
2 10th 34.62% 18
3 12th 30.77% 16
Total 100% 52
Figure 2
What gender do you identify with?
# Answer % Count
1 Male 30.77% 16
2 Female 69.23% 36
3 N/A 0.0% 0
Total 100% 52
Figure 3
How important is it to you to have your parent(s)/guardian(s) involved at

home and at school?
# Answer % Count
1 Not Important 9.62% 5
2 Somewhat Important 36.54% 19
3 Important 32.69% 17
4 Very Important 21.15% 11
Total 100% 52
Figure 4
Would monthly grade check-ins with parent(s)/guardian(s) be helpful in

keeping you academically accountable?
# Answer % Count
1 Not Helpful 5.77% 3
2 Somewhat Helpful 36.54% 19
3 Helpful 40.38% 21
4 Very Helpful 17.31% 9
Total 100% 52
Figure 5
How often do you and your parent(s)/guardian(s) discuss your academics?
# Answer % Count
1 Never 3.85% 2
2 Rarely 9.62% 5
3 Sometimes 28.85% 15
4 Often 30.77% 16
5 Very Often 26.92% 14
Total 100% 52
Figure 6
To what extent do your parent(s)/guardian(s) help you understand homework

content that you do not understand?
# Answer % Count
1 Never 30.77% 16
2 Rarely 30.77% 16
4 Often 5.77% 3
Total 100% 52
Figure 7
How helpful would it be for your school counseling department to have an

after school group session with your parent(s)/guardian(s) to provide
resources and information on ways they can support your learning at home?
# Answer % Count
1 Not Helpful 34.62% 18
2 Somewhat Helpful 46.15% 24
3 Helpful 17.31% 9
4 Very Helpful 1.92% 1
Total 100% 52
Figure 8
When doing poorly academically, how often are you given consequences by
your parent(s)/guardian(s)?
# Answer % Count
1 Never 7.69% 4
2 Rarely 19.23% 10
4 Often 17.31% 9
Total 100% 52
Figure 9
When given consequences by your parent(s)/guardian(s) do you feel motivated

to do better academically?
# Answer % Count
1 No 26.92% 14
2 Yes 73.08% 38
Total 100% 52
Figure 10
When doing poorly academically, how often are you encouraged to do better
by your parent(s)/guardian(s)?
# Answer % Count
1 Never 0.00% 0
2 Rarely 3.85% 2
4 Often 28.85% 15
Total 100% 52
Figure 11
When encouraged by your parent(s)/guardian(s) do you feel motivated to do

better academically?
# Answer % Count
1 No 13.46% 7
2 Yes 86.54% 45
Total 100% 52

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Running head: STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC SUCCESS 1

Parental Involvement and Students’ Academic Success

Minnesota State University, Mankato

importance, parental consequences versus encouragement, and parental involvement and

academic success. In conclusion, future research as well as recommendations for professional

practice will be included in this study.

Parental Involvement and Students’ Academic Success

should be a requirement. Throughout this paper parental involvement will be defined as “a

constellation of adult behaviors that support youths’ achievement of school-related demands”

students in grades K-12.

as kindergarten (Monti, Pomerantz & Roisman, 2014). There is a greater likelihood of an

into college programs (Monti et al., 2014).

Due to a lack of parental involvement in students’ lives it is important for educators to

who makes up that structure.

as “Parenting that is empathic, non-controlling, and encouraging toward children’s development

and (c) to identify the consequences of lack of parental involvement.

Students’ Academic Success

throughout their academic career (Jeynes, 2012).

Parental Influence on Students’ Academic Success

towards adolescents’ academic achievements; therefore it is important that parents are

Gordon and Cui (2014) focused on school-parental involvement and specifically

communities, school-related parental involvement and adolescent's academic success is lower. In

for the community that the school is in as well.

children it is important to understand what adolescents consider to be parental involvement.

Adamski et al., (2013) explored students’ perceptions of parental involvement in a Spanish

between students’ perceptions of parental involvement and student achievements in Spanish.

In general, research suggests that when there is a healthy parent-child relationship in

for family structure, socioeconomic status, and gender.

that should be researched deeply.

The Influence of Parent and Student Gender on Academic Success

in single-father households. Sons in single-father households received lower academic

academic success (Cho et al., 2007).

It is important to examine gender differences in students but it is also important to

consideration when measuring adolescents’ academic success.

Consequences of Low Parental Involvement

is supportive, well structured, characterized by positive affect, accompanied by positive beliefs,

decreases dramatically. In order for parental involvement to be successful it must remain

came from biological married households as opposed to single-parent households.

(Stacer & Perrucci, 2012).

In addition to parental support, family structure, parent level of education, and

(Cheung & Pomerantz, 2012).

Questions to be Addressed in Needs Assessment

resource to use for creating this survey and gathering data.

Throughout this needs assessment nine specific questions will be addressed:

1. How important is it to you to have your parent(s)/guardian(s) involved at home and at

2. Would monthly grade check-ins with parent(s)/guardian(s) be helpful in keeping you

3. How often do you and your parent(s)/guardian(s) discuss your academics?

you do not understand?

group session with your parent(s)/guardian(s) to provide resources and information on

ways they can support your learning at home?

7. When given consequences by your parent(s)/guardian(s) do you feel motivated to do

9. When encouraged by your parent(s)/guardian(s) do you feel motivated to do better

Results and Identifications of Needs

intended to learn whether students are motivated by consequences or encouragement from

Parental Involvement Importance

Parental Consequences versus Encouragement

This research study aimed to learn whether students perceive encouragement or

consequences from parents as more effective at motivating them to do better academically.

(see Figure 9).

are motivated to do better academically when encouraged by their parent(s)/guardian(s). The

Parental Involvement and Academic Success

Discussion of Results as Related to Existing Literature and the School Setting

students’ academics should be of utmost importance.