Date of Conferral

12-2-2024

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Dr. David Weintraub

Abstract

The problem that was addressed through this study was the decline in home-to-school partnerships within a local, public, and ethnically diverse middle school (DMS) in the Southeastern United States. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore parents’ perspectives on the decline in home-to-school partnerships at a DMS. Using Epstein’s six types of family involvement as a guide, a qualitative, exploratory design was used, with data collected through semi structured interviews with 12 Black mothers of eighth-grade students from DMS in the 2022–2023 school year. Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis revealed the following four themes: communication satisfaction, parent-school engagement, barriers to involvement, and the role of technology. Findings showed that communication challenges, inflexible engagement strategies, and structural barriers contributed to the decline in parental involvement. Based on the results, flexible scheduling, proactive invitations, and careful integration of technology are recommended to improve home-to-school partnerships. A professional development curriculum was created to help teachers engage better with parents, especially those from diverse and low-income backgrounds. The results might contribute to social change by fostering stronger partnerships, which, in turn, might allow teachers to concentrate more on instruction which then benefits students’ learning.

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