Date Approved

4-25-1999

Embargo Period

8-9-2016

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.A. in Educational Leadership and Administration

Department

Educational Services and Leadership

College

College of Education

Advisor

Johnson, Theodore

Subject(s)

Biology--Study and teaching (Secondary); Science--Study and teaching (Secondary)

Disciplines

Educational Leadership

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to discover whether or not student achievement could be improved through the increased participation of parents/guardians for students enrolled in science classes.

High academic achievement in science courses has been rapidly declining for the past twenty or more years. With this decline in science has come a decline in the overall academic achievement of students.

To turn the tide of students failing to students excelling academically in the sciences, I believe that increasing the level and quality of parental involvement is "the solution" to this problem.

Students in my biology classes will participate in this study along with some of their parents. Approximately eighty students were divided into two groups, an experimental and a control. During the course of the first and second marking periods, grades that these students earned were compared to determine if, in fact, parental involvement could significantly improve student achievement.

After reviewing the work of the students who participated in this study, there was conclusive proof to support my original hypothesis, which was 'student achievement in the sciences is related to the presence of involved parents'.

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