The Impact of Education Leadership on Parental Involvement and Student Outcomes
Parental involvement is crucial to a child’s educational success, particularly in government schools. Despite its importance, many parents face significant barriers to engaging with their children’s education, including economic hardships, time constraints, and negative past experiences with schooling. This article explores parents’ reluctance to participate, the benefits of their involvement, and the role of school leaders like Ms. Kamalakshi in creating a supportive environment. Through proactive leadership and community engagement, schools can bridge the gap between home and school, ultimately leading to improved student outcomes.
Why don’t parents come to school?
Parents whose voices are rarely heard at school explain how the diverse contexts of their lives create challenges for positive home and school (parent-teacher) relations. For them, school experiences, economic and time constraints, and linguistic and cultural practices have produced a body of knowledge about school settings that frequently goes unacknowledged. Schools often don’t consider how a parent’s experience may influence school relationships.
A father describes his son’s school progress:
I don’t want to go to school anymore. I’ve gone a few times, and every time I’m there, they tell me that my child is poor at studies. They’ve been saying this for two years, so why should I go just to hear it again? They don’t do anything about it. I never went to school, so I can’t help my son with his studies either.
This father’s experiences created mistrust and prevented him from participating more fully in his son’s education. For many parents, their own personal school experiences create obstacles to involvement. Parents who have dropped out of school or never went to school do not feel confident in school settings, which is also a reality for many children studying at government schools. The need to support their families in addition to their limited schooling makes it difficult for them to help their children with homework.
A mother shares her problem with the Parent-Teacher Meeting (PTM):
Teachers just don’t understand that I can’t come to school whenever they want. My husband goes to work every morning, and I have to work, too, just to make ends meet. If I go to school, I’ll miss a day’s work and lose a day’s wage, and the school isn’t going to compensate for that.
This mother’s challenges underline the barriers many parents face when engaging with their children’s education. The demands of daily survival often take precedence, and the inflexible expectations from schools only deepen the divide. For parents who must work to support their families, the loss of even a day’s wage can be a significant burden, making school involvement feel like an impossible luxury.
Such parent voices are rarely heard at school, whether for social, cultural, linguistic, or economic reasons. This leads to redundant efforts to build relations between school and home.
Is parental involvement necessary?
This is one question that lines up several questions. Is it necessary for parents to be involved in their children’s school life? Isn’t it the school’s job to care for the children’s education and development? Why are we sending our children to school if we ourselves have to get involved?
Parental involvement is a critical factor in promoting school success. The institutional perspective suggests that children who do not succeed in school often have parents who are not involved in school activities or do not support school goals at home. Studies by Comer (1984) and Lareau (1987), underscores the critical role of parent involvement. However, it’s worth noting that the lack of participation among parents of socially and culturally diverse students is a well-documented issue (Clark 1983, Delgado-Gaitan 1991).
What will change when parents start coming to school?
How a Head Teacher built bridges between school and home in GLPS Sompura, Bangalore
In a government school in Sompura, Bangalore, only 22 students were regular to classes despite an enrolment of 71. This low attendance was mainly due to the difficult circumstances of many families, particularly migrant workers who prioritized daily wages over their children’s education. The school’s head teacher, Ms. Kamalakshi, recognized that the parents’ struggle to meet ends and lack of understanding of the value of education were significant barriers to parental involvement.
To understand the issue better and solve it at its roots, Ms. Kamalakshi and her team initiated a community outreach effort, visiting each household in the village to personally convey the importance of education. They listened to parents’ concerns, such as the lack of transportation, and collaborated with the community to arrange public transport for the children. Understanding that active parental involvement was essential, she also created WhatsApp groups to facilitate ongoing communication between the school and families, allowing parents to engage with their children’s education despite their busy schedules.
Ms. Kamalakshi also started doing regular Parent-Teacher Meetings (PTMs). She not only sent invites via students but also created WhatsApp groups of parents and would send constant reminders to come for PTMs. Parents also reciprocated seeing Ms. Kamalakshi’s enthusiasm, and the majority took time out from their busy schedules to go for the PTMs.
A significant shift in the school-home relationship begins when parents start coming to school. Their presence at school can bridge the gap between teachers and families, building better communication and understanding. This engagement helps teachers recognize each family’s unique challenges, enabling them to tailor their approaches to support the child’s learning more effectively. As parents become more involved, they gain insights into their child’s progress, challenges, and successes, which can lead to more meaningful support at home.
Parents regularly call us to check if they have any doubts regarding the homework. We now collaboratively work with the community towards providing quality children’s education.
Head Teacher, GLPS Sompura
As a result, the school’s attendance significantly improved, reaching its full enrollment of 71 students. Parents became more involved in their children’s learning, leading to happier and more supported students who started to complete their homework, engage in reading at home, and participate better in their education. This success story from Sompura underscores the transformative impact that responsive and empathetic school leadership can have on parental involvement, especially in challenging contexts.
My mother helps me to do my homework. We both do our projects together. My mother comes home from work at 7 pm and she gives me time to complete my work after that. I feel happy that I get support from my mother.
Student, Grade V
How a Head Teacher improved opportunities for parental involvement at GHPS Haragadde Cluster
The majority of the 289 students in the Government Higher Primary School (GHPS) of the Haragadde Cluster, Bangalore came from migrant families. These families, struggling to balance daily wages with education, were often unable to engage in their children’s schooling. This led to low attendance at Parent-Teacher Meetings (PTMs), minimal parental involvement in homework, and frequent absences from school.
The head teacher, Ms. Puttarajamma, with 27 years of experience in education, recognized the need for change. She partnered with Mantra4Change to address the root causes of low parental involvement and find solutions that could fit within the community’s constraints.
To engage parents, Ms. Puttarajamma and her team used cultural events to initiate conversations with families about the importance of education. Recognizing the need for flexibility, they shifted PTMs from weekdays to weekends, making it easier for parents to attend. These meetings were increased from twice a year to monthly. More PTMs mean more opportunities for parents to come to school.
Additionally, the school created class-wise WhatsApp groups to facilitate ongoing communication between teachers and parents. This digital approach allowed parents to stay updated on their children’s progress and enabled them to take a more active role in supporting homework completion. Reading corners were also established in homes to promote learning beyond school hours.
Parental involvement can boost a child’s motivation and confidence. Children who see their parents actively interested in their education are more likely to value schooling and feel supported in their academic journey. This support can lead to improved attendance, better behavior, and a stronger commitment to their studies, as highlighted in research by Comer (1984) and Lareau (1987).
As per a teacher in the school, the involvement of parents has improved, with PTM attendance increasing from 15-20% to 70%. Parents actively support their children’s schooling, with improvements noticed in attendance, attention and discipline of students. Leadership, combined with community-based initiatives, can improve parental involvement, even in challenging environments.
My parents speak to my teacher regularly about my studies. They attend PTMs regularly. I feel happy that my parents know everything that I do in school.
Student, Grade VII
What role can education leaders play for improved parent involvement?
Clarify how parents can help: School leaders should clearly communicate how parents can support their children’s learning. This includes providing specific guidance, encouraging active participation in school activities, and creating a collaborative environment where parents feel valued (Epstein, 2001). For example, a school could organize a workshop for parents on how to create a conducive study environment at home, such as a reading corner. The workshop might offer tips on setting a consistent study schedule, minimizing distractions, and providing encouragement.
Develop trust: Building trust with parents is crucial. School leaders should actively listen to parents’ concerns and involve them in decision-making, ensuring a partnership based on mutual respect (Bryk & Schneider, 2002). When should the PTM happen? What should the frequency of the PTMs be? Can parents who could not come for the PTM come on other days? These are some areas where parents could be involved in the decision-making process.
Build on home experiences: School leaders should acknowledge and incorporate students’ home experiences into learning. This approach respects parents’ perspectives and strengthens the connection between home and school (Keenan et al., 1993). For instance, if a student comes from a family that practices traditional farming, a teacher could incorporate discussions about agriculture into the science curriculum. This not only validates the student’s background but also allows other students to learn from diverse experiences, making the learning environment more inclusive and relevant.
Conclusion
Motivated education leaders such as the headteachers in the examples above can significantly impact student outcomes by improving school attendance. By actively engaging with parents, addressing their concerns, and building trust, they create an environment where parents feel valued and involved in their children’s education. This involvement encourages students to attend school regularly, boosting their motivation and commitment to learning. As parents become partners in the educational process, they support their children’s progress at home, leading to better academic performance. Their leadership demonstrates how effective school-community collaboration can transform attendance and enhance overall student success.
References
Clark, R. M. (1983). Family Life and School Achievement: Why Poor Black Children Succeed or Fail—Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Comer, J. P. (1984). “Homeschool Relationships as They Affect the Academic Success of Children.” Education and Urban Society 16: 323–337.
David, M. E. (1989). “Schooling and the Family.” In Critical Pedagogy, the State, and Cultural Struggle, edited by H. Giroux and P. McLaren. Albany, N.Y.: State University of New York Press.
Delgado-Gaitan, C. (1991). “Involving Parents in the Schools: A Process of Empowerment.” American Journal of Education 100: 20–46.
Epstein, J. L. (2001). “School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Preparing Educators and Improving Schools.” Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
Bryk, A. S., & Schneider, B. (2002). “Trust in Schools: A Core Resource for Improvement”. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
Keenan, T., Evans, S., & Crowley, K. (1993). “Parents as Partners in Education: The School-Home Link”. New York: Teachers College Press.
Author/s
Sushant Kumar
A Political Science graduate from Banaras Hindu University and a Masters in Education from Azim Premji University, Sushant Kumar is a passionate writer, editor and facilitator. Currently, he is part of the strategic functions team at Mantra4Change. He takes pride in creating engaging and impactful communication strategies, leveraging his background in development and education. He can be reached at sushant@mantra4change.org.