Parental involvement and family–school relations of racially minoritized groups

Purpose This paper aims to address how racially minoritized parents navigate the various obstacles they face in schools and at home. Design/methodology/approach We conducted a meta-synthesis of 38 qualitative studies published since 1990 to provide a comprehensive understanding of racially minoritized parents’ involvement in their children’s education. Findings Racially minoritized parents’ involvement was often “invisible” to school staff as they were informal and operated outside of the school system. Our study suggests that minority parents were resourceful but faced many barriers within the school space, such as language, unfamiliarity with the established education system of the receiving country, lack of social capital and the presence of exclusive parent cliques. The parents’ voices represented in this meta-synthesis illustrate that they were deeply concerned and articulate about the obstacles they faced with regards their children’s education, pointing to the need to develop new understandings of parental involvement and agency. Originality/value Most studies focus on minorities in the United States or immigrant populations, but we expanded our definition to include racial minorities worldwide. We were surprised to find that parents falling under this category provide a coherent narrative. Our study is the only recent meta-synthesis focusing on qualitative studies that highlight the voices of racial minority parents worldwide.