Date Approved

4-30-1998

Embargo Period

8-11-2016

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.A. in School Administration

Department

Educational Services and Leadership

College

College of Education

Advisor

Johnson, Theodore B.

Subject(s)

Pyne Poynt Family School (Camden, N.J.); Interns (Education); School administrators--Training of

Disciplines

Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to improve parent involvement in the school as a result of an increase in school to home communication through the Parent Network.

In order to identify barriers to parent involvement in the school, both parents and teachers were surveyed. The parent survey, written in English and Spanish, was designed to ascertain their attitudes toward the school. The responses of sixty-six parents were analyzed. It was found that although a majority of the parents had a positive attitude toward the school, most felt that they did not have skills that could be helpful. Fifty-five teachers responded to a questionnaire regarding their attitudes toward parent involvement in the school. It was found that, contrary to parents' beliefs, teachers believed not only that parent involvement in the school was important, but also that parents had skills that could be beneficial to the school.

Three barriers to school to home communication were revealed: 1) a poor in-house system of distribution; 2) student failure to take flyers home; 3) parents' failure to keep promises to attend school activities. Although there was an increase in the number of parent volunteers, findings were inconclusive regarding the effectiveness of the Parent Network as a means of improving parent involvement in the school.

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