The Association of Parental Involvement and Student Achievement from 1988 to 2012

Abstract

For decades researchers have studied the influence of parental involvement on student achievement and the consensus is that parents are a positive influence on their children’s education. In response, policymakers have followed up with educational reforms designed to increase parents’ roles in the education of their children. However, not much research has investigated whether the relationship between parental involvement and student achievement is changing over time, especially for high school students. Based on data from the National Center for Education Statistics, this study examined the trend and extent to which parental involvement on high school students has changed from 1988 to 2012. Regression models revealed three trends. First, parental involvement of high school students has increased since 1988. Second, the extent to which parental involvement is associated with student achievement is conditional on the type of involvement, with some forms being positively associated and others being negatively associated. Finally, the increases in parental involvement appear to vary across socioeconomic levels.