Date of Award

2013

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Education

Abstract

The U.S. Department ofEducation requires public schools to include strategies for increasing family involvement in their school improvement plans. However, a major problem exists for middle and high school principals: identifying these best practices. Therefore, school leaders at the middle and high school levels need to know how to increase and maintain interest in family engagement activities, as a means of enhancing student success and complying with federal policy. The purpose of this two-phase, sequential mixed methods study was to explore the parent responses to a district-wide building-level climate and engagement survey and to identify components implemented by successful urban middle schools in Evansville, Indiana, that increase family engagement and subsequently relate positively to the academic achievement of middle school students. To better understand these variables, focus groups and phone interviews were conducted with parents of middle school students in the Evansville-Vanderburgh School Corporation. Although the participants represented six different middle schools, they shared common perspectives about their engagement with the schools. These themes included: 1. Middle schools communicate most effectively with parents of upcoming events and activities by using automated phone messages, emails, and online newsletters. 2. Parents prefer to access the online gradebook and email teachers to monitor student progress, but they want to speak personally with teachers or principals if their students are having problems. 3. Teacher communication, one-to-one technology, and parent training impact parent involvement at home with students and schoolwork. 4. Parents ownership in schools stems from a sense of belonging and an opportunity to have a voice in decision making. 5. Parent participation in school activities or parent nights depends on perceived value.

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