Family Involvement & Student Achievement 1
Reflection: As a future teacher, I feel it is important to review research studies
that address concepts and theories that are related to a child’s development.
Research gives educators information and concepts that help in supporting a
students’ development, acquisition of knowledge, and motivation. I truly believe
research is an essential part of teaching; therefore, I’ve included my literature
review on family involvement and student achievement. You will find this
literature review reflects the concepts of ACEI Standard 1-Development, Learning,
and Motivation.
Family involvement:
Student Achievement
Kristy Stas
SUNY Cortland
Abstract
Family Involvement & Student Achievement 2
This paper reviews five published studies that report on the results from research on
ways that family involvement in a child’s education influences success. From these
findings come two major themes on how family involvement influences a child’s success
in school. The first theme discussed is parent efficacy. The second theme discusses
the idea that family involvement in a student’s homework influences success. This
review explores the idea that a family involvement is linked to a students’ achievement.
Family Involvement & Student Achievement 3
Research has shown that there is a strong link between parent involvement and
a child’s achievement in school. These studies have identified a relationship between
family involvement and increased student achievement, increased self-esteem, positive
behavior, and enhanced school attendance. It is has been found that what a family
does to support a child’s learning (being involved in their education, doing homework
and reading) plays a bigger role in achievement than who a family is (family status,
income, education). It is important to understand the characteristics of parent
involvement that are related to a child’s achievement. The main focus of this small
scale literature review is to understand what is linked with family involvement in a child’s
education. What are the influences between family involvement and student
achievement?
This literature review examined five studies that address the connection between
parent involvement and student achievement. The findings from these five studies
suggest information about what kinds of and levels of family involvement are likely to
produce high levels of student achievement. The findings of these articles are divided
into two themes based on similar ideas. The first theme suggested that a parents’
efficacy pays a role in a parent’s involvement of their child’s education. The second
theme suggests that engaging families at home to support their child’s learning is linked
to high student achievement. This review is organized to identify how these finds are
connected to a parents’ involvement in a child’s education.
Parent Efficacy
Hoover-Dempsey, Bassler, and Brissie (1992) suggest that a parent’s sense of
efficacy is related to the family’s involvement in their child’s education. Hoover-
Family Involvement & Student Achievement 4
Dempsey, Bassler, and Brissie (1992) defined parent efficacy as a parents’ capability of
achieving a desired outcome through their efforts and the effects of those efforts on
others. The reason that a parent becomes involved in their child’s education is reflected
by their sense of efficacy. Hoover-Dempsey, Bassler, & Brissie (1992) stated “Parent
efficacy beliefs may be important in parent behaviors and child outcomes” (p. 287). The
more efficient that a parent feels with the education of their child the more involved they
are. Parents that show high levels of efficacy spend more hours volunteering in the
classroom, they spend more hours on educational activities outside of school, and less
time spent on the phone with a teacher. These parents that have a high sense of
efficacy feel more confident helping and are more involved. “We believe that selfefficacy is more significant than such status variable because self-efficacy beliefs, far
more than variables describing an individual’s status.” (Hoover-Dempsey, Bassler, &
Brissis, 1992, P. 288) Parents’ efficacy is not related to sex, marital status,
employment status, and family income. However, Hoover-Dempsey, Bassler, & Brissis
findings imply that a parent’s education status plays a role in their sense of efficacy.
This study shows that parents with a grade school education have a lower sense of
efficacy then do parents with a college education. A parent’s decision to engage in their
child’s education in and out of school is reflected by their sense of efficacy. Lower
efficacy parents are less certain that their involvement will influence their students’
education positively. Higher levels of education may give parents the sense that they
have the ability to offer effective help and resources in their child’s education. This
study suggested that families of all backgrounds can encourage and have a positive
influence on their child’s success in school.
Family Involvement & Student Achievement 5
Family Engagement
The findings of Hoover-Dempsey, Battiato, Walker, Reed, DeJong, and Jones
(2001) suggest that parents become involved in their child’s education when they feel
their involvement makes a difference and they feel that their involvement is wanted. It is
also suggested in this study that a parent’s involvement in homework can influence their
child’s outcome through modeling, instruction, and reinforcement. According to HooverDempsey, Battiato, Walker, Reed, DeJong, and Jones (2001), “There is an Importance
of continued inquiry into parents’ roles and influence in their children’s homework
performance” (p. 206). It is important for a parent to be involved in the education of
their child; effective family involvement is a critical factor in the success of their child’s
education. Along with the family, the school can play a role in enhancing the
involvement of parents in their children’s homework. The findings suggest that schools
can offer suggestions for involvement in their child’s learning that support the
understanding that parents have an important role in their child’s education and their
involvement in activities with their child makes a difference. According to HooverDempsey, Battiato, Walker, Reed, DeJong, and Jones (2001), “Parents become
involved in homework as long as they believe they have a role to play, believe their
involvement will make a difference.” (P. 206) This study’s findings also suggests that
the potential benefits of a parents involvement in school can be enhanced
understanding the parents’ roles, activities, and the influence of student success.
Hoover-Dempsey and Battiato findings suggest that a family involvement at
home has a positive influence on their child’s progress through school. The more that a
family supports a child’s education the more a child tends to do well in school. A
Family Involvement & Student Achievement 6
family’s involvement at home; such as helping with homework, has a positive influence
on a Childs success in school. The more a family is involved and supportive in their
child’s learning and education, the more a child tend to do well in school. A parent
becomes involved in a child’s education through homework when they feel they should
or they feel being involved with make a difference in their child’s education. Being
involved in a child’s homework allows for a parent to be engaged in a variety of activities
with their child. Involvement in a child’s homework allows for the environment at home
becoming supportive of learning. A parent’s involvement in homework is positively
related to a child’s success and can be even more important in the child’s attitude
towards school.
The findings by Bailey (2005) suggest that getting parents involved through
training programs can benefit academic achievement by students. These finding imply
that partnership programs between families and schools are related to higher levels of
involvement and student achievement. Stated by Bailey (2005), “The findings suggests
that parental workshops in conjunction with assigning well designed IHA served to
influence students’ abilities to draw inferences” (p. 161). Partnership programs help
parents’ understand how to interact with their children during homework in a beneficial
way. According to Bailey (2005), “Parent child interactions during homework serve to
promote educational interest for both the parent and student and influence academic
outcomes” (p. 161). Partnership programs allow for parents to ask question and gain
support in their involvement with their child’s homework. Stated by Bailey (2005), “This
findings that parents should use interactions and questions techniques to foster
learning” (p. 161). Partnership programs allow for parents to become more confident in
Family Involvement & Student Achievement 7
helping their child with homework and other educational activities at home. These
programs allow for parents to get involved in ways that can impact a student
achievement.
Similar to the findings by Bailey, Sheldon and Epstein (2005) suggest that family
supporting their child’s learning at home is associated with higher levels of
achievement. Students having the ability to practice subject-specific activities with
parents can possibly improve their achievement scores. This type of activity targets the
curricular area the student needs to work on. According to Sheldon and Epstein (2005),
“ school leaders for partnership expressed high levels of confidence that family and
community involvement activities can help improve student learning and achievement”
(p. 204). Subject-specific activities allow for school to enhance their achievement
scores by planning for family involvement activities that encourage interaction between
families and students. Also stated by Sheldon and Epstein (2005), “ Activities that
engage many families and children in discussing and conducting subjects at home are
more likely than are other involvement activities to contribute to students increasing and
maintaining skills” (p. 204). The underlining factor is that educators need to implement
goal-oriented, subject-specific involvement activities to help students achieve goals in
their specific subject.
The findings by Machen, Wilson, and Notar suggest that parent
involvement is need to better school. Parent involvement plays an important role in
school. “Parental involvement is highly important for pushing system for high standards
and engaging parents in an active role in the school curriculum can open opportunities
for children” (Machen, Wilson,& Notar, 2005, p. 14). The findings in this study suggest;
Family Involvement & Student Achievement 8
like the previous studies, it’s important to develop programs that involve parents’ in their
child’s educational achievement. These involvement programs allow for greater
achievements by students. Best educational results happen when schools and families
work together. A parents’ role is strengthened when they are able to be a meaningful
partner in their child’s educational achievements. “The amount of contact that parents
have with school and the amount they volunteer can be influenced positively by
proactive communication by the school” (Machen, Wilson,& Notar, 2005, p. 15) When a
school and family work together to develop a system that implements sound instruction
and effective resources can begin to ensure positive outcomes for students
achievement.
These studies findings indicate that there is a strong relationship between family
involvement and a child’s success in school. A parents needs to feel that he or she is
efficient in the educational ideas of what his or her child is leaning in school. The more
efficient a parent feels in helping their child with their education the more involved the
will become and will help his or her child achieve. Schools need to allow for parents to
be able to support their child’s learning at home. Programs that are set up by schools
can help teach and encourage families ways that they can be effectively engaged in
their child’s learning. The more that a family is able to support their child’s learning, the
more that child tends to achieve. All types of families are able to have a positive
influence on their child’s learning. The main focus of parental involvement by schools
and parents should be to improve achievement and be designed in a way that engages
families and students through specific knowledge and skills. There is an important link
between a parents’ involvement and a students’ achievement.
Family Involvement & Student Achievement 9
References
Bailey, L. (2006). Interactive homework: a tool for fostering parent-child
interactions and improving learning outcomes for at-risk young children.
Early Childhood Educational Journal, 34(2), 155-167.
Hoover-Dempsey, K., Bassler, D. & Brissie, J. (1992). Exportations in parentschool relation. Journal of Educational Research 85(5), 287-294.
Hoover-Dempsey, K., Battiato, A., Walker, J., Reed, R., DeJong, J & Jones, K.
(2001). Parental involvement in homework. Educational Psychologist
38(3), 195-209.
Machen, S., Wilson, J., & Notar, C. (2005, March 1). Parental involvement in the
classroom. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 32(1), 13-16.
Okpala, C., Okpala, A., & Smith, F. (2001, January 1). Parental involvement,
instructional expenditures, family socioeconomic attributes, and student
achievement. Journal of Educational Research, 95, 110-15.
Sheldon, S., & Epstein, J. (2005, March 1). Involvement counts: family and
community partnerships and mathematics achievement. Journal of
Educational Research, 98(4), 196.