Title: A study

1
Title A study
ABSTRACT
MEASURES
Consistent with the model and intervention
purposes, the following scales will be
administered at the beginning and end of each
school year to measure the impact of the parental
involvement intervention program on parent and
student outcomes (Hoover-Dempsey Sandler, 2005
Walker et al., 2005). The Parent Questionnaire
assesses parents motivations for becoming
involved (Level 1), parents involvement
activities (home-based and school-based), the
mechanisms that parents employ during involvement
(Level 2), and parents perceptions of student
outcomes related to parental involvement (Level
4). The Student Questionnaire assesses students
perceptions of parents use of parental
involvement mechanisms (Level 3) and students
proximal outcomes (Level 4).
We discuss how a research-based model of the
parental involvement process may be applied to a
school. We focus on how one urban elementary
school is using such a model and related measures
to develop and test interventions designed to
increase the incidence and effectiveness of
parental involvement. This application serves as
an example of how school districts can use
theory- and research-based information to guide
parental involvement policies and practice. I
think the research is absolutely vital to what
were doing because (it tells us that)you can
correlate parent involvement with student
achievement.If you dont have the (parental
involvement) piece, it has a direct impact on
test scores, and test scores have an effect on
everything. School Principal
Name Department of Early Childhood Education,
University of Taipei
INTERVENTIONS
PARTICIPANTS
You have to have a modelfor guiding your
behavior.When you have a theoretical framework,
it helps you understand specifically what factors
you have to work on. Youre not out there just
fishing in the dark.Plus, you have a way to do
the research because your variables are
identified and its much clearer what it is
youre doing. Intervention Program Director
The participating school is located in an urban
area in a mid-south city. It serves over 350
families that are predominantly African American
(88.3 African American, 9.3 Caucasian, 2.4
Hispanic and Asian/Native American) and from
lower socioeconomic backgrounds (81 of students
receive free/reduced price lunch). The school
employs about 25 classroom teachers and 10
support staff. Parents and teachers of 4th-5th
grade children are being targeted for
intervention and assessment.
The participating school is located in an urban
area in a mid-south city. It serves over 350
families that are predominantly African American
(88.3 African American, 9.3 Caucasian, 2.4
Hispanic and Asian/Native American) and from
lower socioeconomic backgrounds (81 of students
receive free/reduced price lunch). The school
employs about 25 classroom teachers and 10
support staff. Parents and teachers of 4th-5th
grade children are being targeted for
intervention and assessment.
INTRODUCTION
DISCUSSION
Ten years ago, Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler (1995,
1997) offered a theoretical model of the parental
involvement process to answer two critical
questions Why do parents become involved in
their childrens education? How does their
involvement influence childrens educational
outcomes? They identified relevant constructs and
processes, focusing on those most salient from
parents perspectives and potentially amenable to
change. Next, Hoover-Dempsey, Sandler, and
colleagues launched a study to develop measures
of model constructs and test model-driven
hypotheses (Hoover-Dempsey Sandler, 2005).
Across four studies, with data from 2,150
parents of elementary and middle school children
in 25 public schools in a socioeconomically
diverse metropolitan public school system in the
mid-south, they produced reliable and valid
measures for all model constructs and empirically
validated many model constucts and processes
(Walker, Wilkins, Dallaire, Sandler,
Hoover-Dempsey, 2005). The opportunity to
apply the model occurred through collaboration
with a public, urban elementary school which was
seeking to develop an evidence-based parental
involvement intervention to satisfy federal
guidelines and enhance parents support of their
childrens success in school. The school selected
the Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler (1995, 2005) model
to guide the development of interventions that
would increase the incidence and effectiveness of
parental involvement and support increases in
student achievement in the school. Since the time
of initial contact concerning application of the
model to the schools parental involvement plans,
there has been ongoing consultation among school,
intervention, and research staff.
This collaboration provides an informative
example of how a school can use research-based
models of parental involvement to enhance the
effectiveness of parental involvement and assess
its effects on student attributes that lead to
academic success and student achievement. Given
recent federal and state mandates (e.g., No Child
Left Behind Act of 2001) that require schools to
use research-based practices, this intervention
program represents a first step in developing
comprehensive parental involvement programs that
are grounded in theory and empirical research.
Importantly, this intervention also includes
validated measures of program outcomes to assess
effects on parental beliefs and behaviors as well
as student attributes and measures of
achievement. Results from these intervention
efforts may guide the adoption of parental
involvement program policies to be implemented
district- and state-wide. For more information
about this and related projects, please see our
website http//www.vanderbilt.edu/Peabody/family-
school/index.html
INTERVENTIONS
Following consultation among school,
intervention, and research lab staff, several
specific interventions were developed. Some have
been piloted during the 06-07 academic year.
All will be implemented during the 07-08
year. STUDENT EDUCATION ENHANCEMENT PLAN
(SEEP) The SEEP is an electronic conferencing
tool designed to foster a partnership between
teachers and parents in establishing
individualized student learning goals. Teachers
and parents use drop-down menus of assessment
data to facilitate conversations about student
progress on state performance indicators.
Teachers, parents, and students identify steps
they will each take to achieve specific learning
goals and record any potential challenges to
learning. After completion, a copy of the SEEP is
given to the Program Coordinator, who works
individually with parents to develop a Parent
Enhancement Plan (PEP). The SEEP intervention
targets Level 1 (e.g., personal motivations,
invitations) of the model.
REFERENCES
Hoover-Dempsey, K. V., Sandler, H. (1995).
Parental involvement in childrens education Why
does it make a difference? Teachers College
Record, 97, 310-331. Hoover-Dempsey, K.V.,
Sandler, H.M. (1997). Why do parents become
involved in their children's education? Review
of Educational Research, 67, 3-42. Hoover-Dempsey
, K.V., Sandler, H.M. (2005). Final Performance
Report for OERI Grant R305T010673 The Social
Context of Parental Involvement A Path to
Enhanced Achievement. Presented to Project
Monitor, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S.
Department of Education, March 22,
2005. Shepard, K. W. (2007). In-service training
to support and enhance teachers invitations to
parental involvement. Thesis submitted to fulfill
requirements of M.S. degree, Psychology,
Vanderbilt University. Walker, J. M., Wilkins,
A. S., Dallaire, J., Sandler, H. M.,
Hoover-Dempsey, K. V. (2005). Parental
involvement Model revision through scale
development. Elementary School Journal, 106,
85-104. Many thanks for support from Vanderbilt
University, Peabody College Small Research Grants
Program (2006-2008) Institute of Education
Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, through
Grant R305B040110 to Vanderbilt University
(2001-2004) Hamilton County, Tennessee
Department of Education.
INTERVENTIONS
PARENT ENHANCEMENT PLAN (PEP) The PEP is designed
to equip parents with the specific knowledge and
skills necessary for helping their children
achieve learning goals identified in the SEEP.
The Program Coordinator and parents work together
individually or in small-group workshops on
strategies to aid student learning. The PEP
intervention targets Level 1 (e.g., personal
motivation, invitations) and Level 2 (mechanisms).