Engaging Parents: Barriers and Opportunities

Abstract

Primary Research Question:

Epstein defines the six types of parental involvement as: parenting, communicating, volunteering, learning at home, decision making and collaborating with the community. BELL specifically seeks to learn how to improve communicating and learning at home. Communicating relates to school to home and home to school communication about school programs and student progress. Learning at home relates to involving families with their children on homework and other curricular activities and decisions.

Additional Research Questions:

  • Why are some parents more involved in their child’s academic life than others?
  • What keeps parents from being involved in their child’s academic life…motivation, capability or both?
  • What are the barriers that even motivated parents face in getting involved in their child’s education when it comes to the two types of involvement- communicating and learning at home?
  • How can BELL help parents overcome those barriers?