Date of Conferral

3-13-2026

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Social Work

Advisor

Shari Jorissen

Abstract

The experiences that Black parents had in school have been found to influence how they view and interact with schools and the challenges and barriers related to their child’s education attainment. It is important to understand school-based human service professionals’ perceptions about the relationship that Black families have with Southern schools and suggestions these professionals have about promoting better communication and understanding with Black families. The purpose of this qualitative generic study was to examine school human service professionals’ perceptions about the relationship that Black families have with schools and to gather suggestions about how they could promote communication and understanding between Black families and Southern schools. Ecological systems theory was applied as a theoretical framework to better understand human development and behavior that occur within and across social systems. Semistructured interview data were collected from 12 Southern school human service professionals and analyzed using Lincoln and Guba’s thematic analysis. Results indicated that communication needs to be improved in order to strengthen the relationship; parental involvement and support enhance student success and can strengthen the relationship; and Southern schools must promote equity through their actions to foster positive relationships between Black families and Southern schools. Suggestions were that Southern schools practice openness/transparency; engage Black families in a variety of ways to meet diverse needs; and work to understand Black families, including acknowledging damage due to past ineffective interactions. These results should help Southern schools make better decisions and inform interactions with Black students and families.

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