VIP Corner — Parent Involvement is important.
WHY IS PARENT INVOLVEMENT SUCH A BIG DEAL?
Two major studies by Anne Henderson in the 1990s and 2000s showed that parent involvement has a hugely positive effect on student achievement and other indicators of success. These studies were so influential that researchers today are still referencing them. More recently, a study published by researchers at North Carolina State University, Brigham Young University, and the University of California, Irvine, reinforced Henderson’s earlier findings—and also found that family involvement has an even bigger effect on positive academic performance than the quality of the school building.
POSITIVE BENEFITS OF PARENT INVOLVEMENT
It’s not just the students who benefit, either; parents, teachers, and schools come out ahead.
Children with parents who are involved in their education are more likely to:
• Earn better grades
• Score higher on tests
• Attend school regularly
• Have better social skills
• Show improved behavior
• Be more positive in their attitude toward school
• Complete homework assignments
• Graduate and continue their education
• Parents who are involved in their children’s education are more likely to:
• Be more confident at school
• Be more confident in themselves as parents and in their abilities to help their children learn
• Be held in higher esteem by teachers
• Continue their own education
Schools with highly involved parents are more likely to have:
• Better morale among teachers
• Higher ratings of teachers by parents
• More support from families
• A better reputation in the community
The Union County Violence Intervention Plan (VIP) was developed in order to make available a network of area supports, opportunities and activities focused on best practice strategies for a community committed to changing the odds for individuals and families in need. The VIP can be viewed at www. sharefoundation.com or you can call Debbie Watts, SHARE Foundation VP of Community Impact for more information at (870) 881-9015.