Theoretical
Framework
The
need for parental involvement is
grounded in a framework of involvement
by Epstein, (1997 ) and was primarily used to study the barriers of parent
involvement, (Yanghee,2009), Parents
involvement in children’s behavioral intervention, (Solish &Perry, 2008), Improving schools' partnership programs in the
national network of partnership schools, (Sanders, Sheldon, &Epstein, 2005),
Building Social, Human, Cultural capital through parent involvement .( Bjork,
Lewis, Browne-Ferrigno, & Donkor,
(2012), Checking in or checking out : Investigating parental involvement reactive hypothesis.(McNeal, 2012) and many others. The theory of Epstein
indicates that academic achievement and progress in schools is enhanced through
the partnership of families, schools and community. Epstein believes that this
is possible when these three levels of participants work as a team and share a
common goal with the same objective and expectations. (Epstein,1995). Epstein’s
reiterated that it is the responsibility of schools to bridge the existing gap
between these entities in order to foster parental participation in their
children’s learning activities. Epstein also expressed positive effects and
improvement in academic achievement and social life of students when parents
work in partnership with the teachers, school administrators and personnel, and
community. Teachers will integrate into the family culture and identify with students’ needs from the family perspective. In
view of his studies Epstein, (1997) created a framework of six types of
involvement. The effective implementation of this framework would create a
conducive home environment that would support learning, establish effective
school-parent interaction and communication system that monitor students
activities, integrate parental skills and talents into schools supportive
programs. The framework would also support
instruction and curriculum through assistance in homework activities, provide
sense of school ownership, acceptance and recognition among parents, and
increase the use of community resources by parents, schools and students for
effective learning. Epstein, (1997) categorized the six types of involvement
that would yield positive results as ‘Parenting,
Communication, Volunteering, Learning at home, Decision Making, and Community’.
In spite of the positive impact of these six types of framework, Epstein, (2002)
emphasized the challenges of each type of involvement .A number of these
challenges and barriers would be eliminated if parents understand their roles
at home, in school, and in the community. (Epstein, 2002).
Literature Map
The literature map describes the need for
parental involvement in secondary education illustrated in Epstein’s framework
of six types of involvement. There are distinct barriers and perceptions
opposing the six types of involvement. There are also outcomes or impacts that
are supportive and non-supportive of this framework. The major areas identified in this framework
of parent-school-community partnership are procedural processes for parent
involvement at home, schools, recommendations and guidelines for family
–schools partnerships, that would foster parent involvement, and
increase students achievement. Overcoming barriers facing parents and schools, would
increase the level of academic and behavior achievements through high level of parental
involvement
Literature review
Introduction
Henderson
and Mapp, (2002) defined parental involvement as practices and behaviors of parents
in schools and homes to foster their children academic progress. This includes
parents’ attitudes, beliefs, perceptions and expectations towards their
children progress. The literature will review the impacts, barriers and
challenges of parent involvement. Few studies have examined the relationship
between the barriers, beliefs, attitudes, and types of involvement that will be
effective in alternative secondary schools, and also community roles in Epstein’s
partnership framework. Key words are
parent involvement or participation, student behavior, perception and at-risk
students, academic and behavior improvement, alternative schools, parent
involvement and secondary schools, barriers
and perceptions, attitudes, school leadership, teachers perceptions, parent perception,
school perception, parent role at home, parent -teacher collaboration, parent
role and school, parent role and community, structural and relational outcome,
minority. The sources used for this
literature review are ERIC ProQuest, Educational reports, and Scholarly
journals. The sources used will help in this study to examine the barriers and
limitations of parent involvement in alternative schools, parent and teachers
perceptions of involvement, and explore possible and workable implementations
that will enhance academic and behavior achievement of at-risk students in
secondary education.
