Epstein's Model of Parental Involvement: Parent Perceptions in Urban Schools

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a statistically significant difference in parents’ perceptions of frequency and effectiveness regarding parental involvement among various demographic groups (ethnicity, education level, socio-economic status, number of children in the home) based on Epstein’s (2007) six typologies of parental involvement. Parents were asked to reflect on the degree to which their child’s school carried out the activities informed by the six parental involvement typologies of Epstein’s Model of Parental Involvement (i.e., parenting, communicating, volunteering, learning at home, decision-making, and collaborating with the community). Findings indicated that parents in this study had significantly different views regarding the implementation of effective parental involvement behaviors by schools. Results from the study will provide districts with knowledge on how to better serve parents as well as close the gap in communication between home and school.