ADVANCING RESEARCH, IMPROVING EDUCATION                               

The National Center for Family and Community Connections with Schools

Supporting School, Family, and Community Connections to Increase School Success

About the Center

Connection Collection

Annotation from the Connection Collection

You are viewing a record from the Connection Collection, a searchable annotated bibliography database. It links you with research-based information that you can use to connect schools, families, and communities.

Title:Parents and teachers working together to support third grade achievement: Parents as Learning Partners (PLP) findings
Author:Quigley, D. D.
Year:2000
Resource Type:Report
Publication
Information:
CSE Technical Report 530
Los Angeles, CA: Los Angeles Compact on Evaluation /National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing
Connection:School-Family
Education Level:Elementary
Literature type:Research and Evaluation

Annotation:
The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of Parents as Learning Partners (PLP) on 3rd grade teachers' practices, on parentsÕ involvement, and on students' third grade achievement. Epstein's (1995) six types of family and community involvement theoretically frame the study. Findings revealed that, over time, the cumulative effect of better attendance, more attention to studies, consistent expectations, and regular support improved achievement and grades. Twenty-nine schools in three School Families in Los Angeles County studied three primary areas in which parents and teachers can work together to support academic achievement: communication, parenting, and learning at home. The links between specific PLP activities, positive changes in parents and teachers, and student performance were not clear and need further study. Teachers feel that their schools are not preparing them on how to involve parents. This needs to be addressed in a concerted and consistent manner. Professional development days need to be reserved for preparation for teachers regarding parent involvement. Teachers and school staff should engage parents in discussions about the benefits of parent education workshops, reading practices at home, and communicating with them more frequently about the progress of their child. Researchers suggest that the districts in the study need to reaffirm to their schools the need for significant, coordinated learning opportunities for teachers and parents to increase meaningful parent involvement in schools to support students' learning.

Suggested Citation Style:

Free Webinar Series
The U.S. Department of Education and its partners invite you to view the archive for the webinar, Bringing it All Together: Family and Community Engagement Policies in Action, which took place on November 16, 2011.

This is the ninth and final webinar in the series, Achieving Excellence and Innovation in Family, School, and Community Engagement.