The International Observatory on Academic Achievement - Documentary search

File number :
CS-CEFC-11e

Bibliographic reference :
Henderson, A.T., & Mapp, K.L. (2002). A New Wave of Evidence. The Impact of School, family, and Community Connections on Student Achievement. Annual Synthesis 2002. Austin, Texas: National Center for Family & Community Connections with Schools.

Abstract :

Parental and community engagement ranks among characteristics of schools regarded as effective. This synthesis is based on the analysis of 51 studies conducted on this topic from 1993 to 2002 to assess the effects of this engagement on student academic achievement.

Effect on Academic Achievement
Overall, the studies selected confirmed the positive contribution of parental involvement to student academic achievement. This link was observed for students of all ages, socio-economic statuses and ethnicities. Although much less documented, the contribution of partnerships with the community also appeared to have a positive influence.

Positive effects on students included higher academic scores, more regular attendance and improved behaviour at school and at home.

Effective Strategies to Encourage Partnership
The key elements of successful partnership are respect and trust. To be effective, strategies must, above all, meet the needs of families. They must also recognize and respect differences among families of diverse social and cultural origin. Lastly, they must foster the development of a philosophy based on the sharing of power and responsibility between parents, and school staff and community members.

Community Organization
The purpose of organizing the community is to mobilize parents and community members to take action aimed at helping poorly performing schools. In addition, the objective of this strategy was to increase the level of responsibility and power of more disadvantaged community members. Hence, everyone becomes responsible for the academic achievement of students. These initiatives are increasingly underway in disadvantaged urban and rural areas, particularly in the United States. Among other outcomes, they help to instil leadership in parents and community members, enhance school climate and students’ academic scores, increase the sense of teachers’ and parents’ self-efficacy and so on.

From Theory to Practice
This synthesis concluded with nine recommendations:
(1) Recognize that all parents, regardless of income, education level or cultural background, are involved in their children’s learning and want their children to do well in school;
(2) Create programs that will support families to guide their children’s learning, from preschool through high school;
(3) Work with families to build their social and political connections;
(4) Develop the capacity of school staff to work with families and community members;
(5) Link family and community engagement efforts to student learning;
(6) Focus efforts to engage families and community members in developing trusting and respectful relationships;
(7) Make sure that parents, school staff, and community members understand that the responsibility for children’s educational development is a collaborative enterprise and that this involves embracing a philosophy of partnership and willingness to share power and responsibility with families;
(8) Build strong connections between schools and community organizations;
(9) Conduct research that is more rigorous and focused, and that uses more culturally sensitive and empowering definitions of school-family-community partnership concepts.

At the end of the report, an abstract of all the 51 studies selected and an historical background on research conducted from 1974 to 1995 are provided.

Links :
http://www.sedl.org/connections/research-syntheses.html

Key Words :
Effective Schools, Student Learning, Parental Engagement, Community Engagement, Community Organization, Socio-economic Status, Ethnicity, Sharing of Responsibilities, Synthesis, Literature Review, Newsletter13

Monitored Countries :
United States