Date of Conferral

2020

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Mary Trube

Abstract

At a rural Title I charter school serving K-3 students in the Southeastern United States, educators have noted low levels of parent engagement. A low level of parent engagement can lead to low levels in student achievement. Educators wish to understand the benefits of parent engagement, barriers to parent engagement, benefits of parent engagement, barriers to parent engagement, and ways to increase parent engagement. The purpose of this basic qualitative study with interviews was to address the local problem by exploring rural Title I charter school educators' perspectives on benefits of, barriers to, and strategies for increasing parent engagement. Epstein’s Six Types of Parental Involvement formed the conceptual framework of this study to explore perspectives of 12 educators (two administrators, eight teachers, two parent liaisons). The research questions focused on educators' perspectives on benefits of parent engagement, barriers to parent engagement, and ways to increase parent engagement. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews conducted with educators at 2 rural Title I charter schools serving K-3 students. Four themes emerged from data that were coded, as follows: (a) benefits of parent engagement; (b) barriers to parent engagement; (c) strategies that increase parent engagement; and (d) parent and teacher partnerships to support all stakeholders. A Professional Development Plan was created to increase educators' knowledge, skills, and understandings related to benefits of, barriers to, and strategies that increase parent engagement. The project may contribute to positive social change by leading to an increase in parent engagement in the local rural Title I charter school. Students' levels of academic achievement may increase in the district as educators apply what they learned through Professional Development.

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