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ERIC Number: ED502065
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2007-Sep
Pages: 20
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Understanding Latino Parental Involvement in Education: Perceptions, Expectations, and Recommendations
Zarate, Maria Estela
Tomas Rivera Policy Institute
The Latino community has been characterized by low high school graduation rates, low college completion rates and substandard schooling conditions. As schools and policymakers seek to improve the educational conditions of Latinos, parental influence in the form of school involvement is assumed to play some role in shaping students' educational experiences. Despite this national interest in parental involvement, little research has been conducted on what constitutes parental involvement in the middle and high school years. Additionally, stakeholders hold diverse definitions of parental involvement, and little attention has been paid to how Latino parents, specifically, define parental involvement. The growing national interest in parental involvement and lack of research on Latino perceptions on the issue motivated the Tomas Rivera Policy Institute (TRPI) to examine what constitutes parental involvement for schools, Latino students, and Latino parents. In conducting this study, the Institute examined: (1) Latino parents' perceptions of their participation in the education of their children; (2) Schools' and teachers' expectations of parental involvement; (3) Programmatic initiatives addressing parental involvement in education; and (4) Latino students' perceptions of the role of parental involvement in their education. Findings indicate that divergent definitions and perceptions of parental involvement in education exist among different stakeholders and that schools lack clear organizational goals and objectives on how best to involve parents in the schools. These insights can inform discussions about how schools can best acknowledge, encourage, and increase parental involvement in schools. School administrators, school board members, corporate school partners, policymakers, outreach programs, parent leaders, and teachers may find study results useful as they seek to increase parental involvement in schools. A list of resources for further reading is included.(Contains 4 footnotes and 2 tables.)
Tomas Rivera Policy Institute. University of Southern California, School of Policy, Planning, and Development, Ralph and Goldie Lewis Hall, 650 Childs Way Suite 102, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0626. Tel: 213-821-5615; Fax: 213-821-1976; e-mail: info@trpi.org; Web site: http://trpi.org
Publication Type: Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Time Warner Inc.
Authoring Institution: Tomas Rivera Policy Institute
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A