Date of Conferral

2021

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Mary Hallums

Abstract

Limited parent involvement in K-8 schools in the United States may be influencing student performance. A five-year strategic plan conducted at a K-8 elementary school with 550 students in the Northeast region of the United States highlighted the need to increase parent involvement. The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of administrators, teachers, and parents on current parent involvement and to gather input from them on how to improve parent involvement in the local school district. The study was guided by Epstein’s framework of parental involvement. Research questions focused on the perceptions of administrators, teachers, and parents on parent involvement. Data were collected for this basic qualitative study using semi-structured interviews from one administrator, three teachers, and four parents. Open coding, inductive analysis, and deductive analyses were used to analyze the data. Themes that emerged from the coding process included constraints on parent involvement, conflicting perceptions of parent involvement, and barriers to parent involvement. The trustworthiness of the study was established through member checking, rich and detailed descriptions, and an audit trail. Findings revealed a discrepancy in the perceptions of parent involvement among administrators, teachers, and parents regarding the reason for the lack of parent involvement. The project deliverable was a policy recommendation with detail to provide the district with an actionable plan and resource guide to initiate alternative and inclusive parent involvement opportunities that support increased parent involvement. This study has implications for positive social change by the creation of a plan to increase parent involvement by providing alternate participation options for parents.

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