Parental involvment is a key factor in students' performance

Success in school can carry over to successful experiences later in life. That underscores the benefits of developing skills in the classroom. Students learn in their own way, and at times there may need to overcome various obstacles.

The job of education does not fully fall on educators and administrators. Education begins at home. Research has found that kids benefit significantly when parents and other caregivers are strongly involved in a child's education. A 2020 study published in the Journal of Prevention and Intervention in the Community found that parental involvement in a child's education is associated with improved academic performance. Specifically, children whose parents are more involved in their educations have higher levels of academic performance than children whose parents were not as involved.

A 2005 study from researchers at the Johns Hopkins University Center of School, Family and Community Partnerships showed that school practices that encourage families to support their studentsÕ math learning at home led to higher percentages of students scoring at or above proficiency on standardized math tests. Additional research indicates the benefits also extend to other subjects and areas of learning, including language comprehension and expressive language skills.

With so much to gain from parental involvement in students' educations, parents can embrace these strategies to get more involved.

Develop a partnership with the teacher. Open communication with the teacher(s) can help parents stay up-to-date on what is going on in the classroom and learn early on where a student may need extra support. Then parents can offer extra guidance if it is feasible, or look into an experienced tutor.Be firm but supportive. Too much academic pressure may cause a child to pull back or even test boundaries, and that can lead to students falling behind in school. Parents must find the right level of involvement and guide their kids without sounding like good grades are "make or break" the relationship.Attend school functions. Parents can go to open houses, back-to-school nights, conferences, and other events held at school to show support and interest in their childrenÕs education. Involved parents also build school-based networks this way, which can be called upon if their student needs additional support in the future.Establish a schedule at home. Students can benefit from a schedule, with regular bedtime, homework time and opportunities to relax. Knowing what to expect and when to expect it can take some of the stress out of learning and studying, according to Nemours health.

Parents working in concert with schools and their children can lead to better academic outcomes.