Parent Involvement in Schools: An Ecological Approach

The meaningful involvement of parents in children's schooling can enhance the educational process. Parents can contribute insights and knowledge that complement the professional skills of schools' staffs in ways that strengthen academic and social programs. However, for parent involvement initiatives to be successful, they should be part of a contextually focused school improvement process designed to create positive relationships that support children's total development. Parent involvement programs that are instituted in traditional bureaucratic and inflexible school environments are less likely to yield positive results than those that are part of a more collaborative organizational structure. In our work, we involve parents at all levels of school life, through general support of schools' educational programs, active participation in daily activities, and in school planning and management. Parents work together with schools' staffs to establish academic and social goals and to develop and implement comprehensive school plans. However, parents do not supersede or challenge the authority of principals and their staffs. They provide perspectives on matters that serve the best interest of children.