Involvement,Engagement,and Community: Dimensions and Correlates of Parental Participation in a Majority

Abstract

This study examines parental participation in children’s schooling. Using a survey of parents of children attending a majority Hispanic school district, we employ exploratory factor analysis and determine that standard forms of participation align along two dimensions: Involvement and Engagement. Analysis reveals a third dimension: Parental Community. The data suggest that income but not educational attainment influence Involvement, whereas family circumstances correlate best with Engagement. Households with the closest proximity to a Spanish-language/immigrant culture feel the strongest sense of Parental Community. The findings may inform the design of programming to help involve parents more fully in their children’s schooling.

Keywords

parental involvement parental education sense of community social capital Hispanic education Latino education elementary school programs social Hispanic students urban education

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Involvement,Engagement,and Community: Dimensions and Correlates of Parental Participation in a Majority–Minority Urban School District

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