Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Mary Hallums

Abstract

Nearly 27% of free and reduced-priced meal (FARM) high school students in an eastern state graduated in 2016–2017. Of these students, about 50% enrolled in college within one year after high school graduation. The purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental correlational design study was to explore a possible reason for low college enrollment for FARM students by examining the relationship between parental involvement, FARM status, and low college application rates. The research question addressed the relationship between parental involvement, students’ FARM status, and the number of college applications. The theoretical framework was Epstein’s model of parental involvement, which is about how parental involvement influences students’ education. Archival FARM status data were collected from 229 FARM public high school students, and a regression analysis was used to examine the relationship among parental involvement, students’ FARM status, and application to college. The results showed no statistically significant relationship between FARM status and the number of college applications (F(1,229) = 1.802, p = 0.181), no statistically significant relationship between FARM status and parental involvement (F(1,229) = 0.033, p = 0.855), and no statistically mediating effect of parental involvement (F(2,228) = 0.913, p = 0.403). The project study is a 3-day professional development for teachers of FARM high school students to better support parents in helping students with college applications. The content of the professional development may help teachers to better support FARM high school students with the college application process. Positive social change will occur when more FARM high school students enter college.

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