The missing piece in higher education: Latina/o/x parent involvement in the pre-college preparation process from the South Texas border region

This qualitative study examines Latina/o/x parents’ perceptions and involvement in the pre-college process from the South Texas border region. Researchers have expressed student success and the likelihood of students pursuing postsecondary education is dependent on the level of parent involvement. As student demographics and enrollment rates continue to shift in education, parent involvement has received attention from policymakers, practitioners, and researchers as a discussion topic to advance educational outcomes for students of color, specifically for Latina/o/x students. Although existing literature on parent involvement is not new, Latina/o/x parents’ experiences and contribution to their student’s success have been absent from the literature. In which has constructed a deficit perspective in which places the responsibility on Latina/o/x parents for their student’s success. This paper aims to examine how Latina/o/x parents are involved and contribute to their student’s success to identify how school settings can leverage and include parents in collective efforts that support students.