FAMILY INVOLVEMENT

INTRODUCTION

Family involvement serves to promote and support the social, emotional,

physical, academic, and educational growth of children. Successful family
involvement relies on meaningful collaboration among youth, families, schools,
employers, and agencies.

Family involvement (we use the terms family involvement and parent
involvement interchangeably) is important for encouraging children in their
development of academic and social-emotional competences in early and later
childhood (Clarkin-Phillips & Carr, 2012; Fan & Chen, 2001; Izzo, Weissberg,
Kasprow, & Fendrich, 1999; Keith, Keith, Quirk, Cohen-Rosenthal, & Franzese,
1996; Kluczniok, Lehrl, Kuger, & Roßbach, 2013).

A family’s involvement in their child’s education is recognized by many as the

single most important factor in school success and achievement. Research has
shown that not only does family involvement increase academic achievement,
as reflected in higher test scores and graduation rates, but it also increases the
likelihood that youth will pursue higher education (Henderson & Berla, 1994).

Family involvement matters for young children’s cognitive and social

development. But what do effective involvement processes look like, and how
do they occur?