There are numerous works focusing on the topic of parent - school collaboration that affirm the advantages of parental involvement in educational practice (Hobbs et al., 1984; Laosa, 1983).
More in-depth explanations of the correlation between parent - school collaboration and educational outcomes were provided by Christenson and Hurtley (1997) and McCarthy (2000). They suggested that greater parent - school collaboration contributes “improved academic performance, higher test scores, more positive attitudes towards a high homework completion rate, fewer placements in special education, greater academic perseverance, low dropout rates and fewer suspensions” (see Carreon, Drake, & Barton, 2005, p. 466).
Other studies show a strong correlation between parent - school collaboration and educational outcomes. The principle outcome is improved academic achievement (see Becher, 1984; Benson, Medrich, & Buckley, 1980; Haynes, Comer, & Hamilton-Lee, 1989; Henderson, 1989), but there are also associated positive outcomes such as:
an improved student sense of well-being (Cochran, 1987);
improved student school attendance (Haynes et al., 1989);
improved student and parent perceptions of the classroom and school climate (Haynes et al., 1989);
positive student attitudes and behaviour (Becher, 1984);
increased student readiness to do homework (Rich, 1988);
increased student time spent with parents (Rich, 1988);
better student grades (Henderson et al., 1986);
higher educational aspirations among students and parents (McDill, Rigsby, & Meyers, 1969); and
increased parental satisfaction with teachers (Epstein, 1984; Rich, 1989).
In addition to these outcomes, parent - school collaboration has been linked to outcomes such as “lower rates of retention in lower grade classes, lower dropout rates; higher on-time school graduation rates, and high rates of participation in advanced courses” (Hoover- Dempsey et al., 2005, p. 105).
Leuder (2000) asserted that one of the key benefits of parent - school collaboration is the greater chance of detecting a student’s special needs, since children spend more than three- quarters of their time with their parents, and parents have an in-depth knowledge of the specific needs of their children.
Also explaining the value of the parent - school collaboration, Swap (1993) argued that: The home–school partnership is no longer a luxury. There is an urgent need for schools to find ways to support the success of all our children. One element that we know contributes to more successful children and more successful schools across all populations is parent involvement in children’s education. When our focus is on improving the achievement of children at academic risk, partnership with families is not just useful; it is crucial.
Moreover, schools and children are not the only beneficiaries of partnership. When families and educators work collaboratively, both experience new learning and an important new source of support. (p. 1).
Haynes and Ben-Avie (1996) found other positive outcomes for not only teachers and parents, but also for schools and communities. One positive outcome for teachers was that an increased exposure to and knowledge of the circumstances that students and their families are living through enables the teachers to gain an in-depth knowledge of the
students’ specific needs (Haynes & Ben-Avie, 1996). This knowledge motivates teachers to provide additional support for empowering parents to support their children both at home and at school. Improved relationships with parents give teachers greater efficacy and increased self-esteem, which contributes to an improved classroom environment. Parents who become actively involved with teachers and schools also achieve the
motivation to further their own education, and in addition, they become a part of the school community.
By empowering parents to advocate for their children’s academic and social support, schools benefit by getting new ideas and initiatives that can bring about improved school performance. Comer and Haynes (1991) clarified the benefits that schools can obtain from building effective home–school collaboration, when they suggested that:
Parents’ involvement in their children’s education can add value to their schools’ programmes by bringing in their insights and knowledge which enhance the professional skills of school staff leading to strengthening the effectiveness of school’s academic and social programmes. (p. 271)
They further pointed out that since “parents and schools each represent a different institution and both have great influence on the development of the children the best outcome could be achieved when the two are working together as stakeholders” (Comer & Haynes, 1991, p. 276).
Improved collaboration between schools and communities creates a force for student support, whereby parents are a catalyst for positive changes. Epstein (1996) suggested that home–school collaboration should be incorporated and treated as a key component of the normal programme of schools. “Along with curriculum, instruction, evaluation, and staff development, a program of school–family–community connection is now viewed as one of
the components of school organisation that may help to promote student learning and success in school” (Epstein, 1996, p. 210).
The literature suggests that a student’s academic and social development is not only linked to the quality of teaching, but also to the quality of support provided at home, and the links between the school and home programmes.
Epstein (1996) strongly argued that neither schools nor families alone are capable of doing the task of “educating and socialising children and preparing them for life” (p. 210). Epstein’s work revealed that “students are advantaged or disadvantaged by the economic and educational resources and guidance offered by families, and students are advantaged or disadvantaged by the quality of their experience in schools” (Epstein, 1996, p. 210). She went further though, pointing out that schools, families, and communities have shared responsibility with the same level of influence.
Whether the parent–school collaboration could be applied to families from low socio- economic backgrounds has received some attention in the literature. For example, Epstein’s work on parental involvement in education suggested that the concept of home–school collaboration is relevant to all parents regardless of their background and economic level. Epstein (1990) maintained that “the evidence suggests that school policies and teacher practices are more important than race, parent education, family size, marital status, and even grade level in determining whether parents continue to be part of their children’s education” (p.210).
However, other authors disagree. The researchers argue that parent–school collaboration varies according to ethnicity and other factors related to the “socio-economic background, parental education, family structure, school characteristic and practices, teacher practices, and age of child” (Roopnarine, Krishna Kumar, Metindogan, & Evans, 2006, p. 239). While researchers agree about the benefits of parental input, they also agree that the
outcome is dependent on the school’s approach to engaging with families and their children, including their commitment of resources and policies to develop and implement the concept. Some researchers have suggested that a school’s commitment to parent - school
collaboration should be employed as the tool to determine if schools are concerned about their students’ achievement. For example, Epstein, (1995) stated that:
The way schools care about children is reflected in the way schools care about the children’s families. If educators view children simply as students, they are likely to see the family as separate from the school. That is, the family is expected to do its job and leave the education of the children to the schools. If educators view students as children, they are likely to see both the family and the community as partners with the school in children’s education and development. Partners recognise their shared interests in and responsibilities for children, and they work together to create better programs and opportunities for students. (p. 701)
Furthermore, some academics have suggested that schools should develop home–school partnership programmes as a strategy to strengthen the entire school community. For example, Epstein (1995, p. 71) argued that “when parents, teachers, students and others view one another as partners in education, a caring community forms around students and begins its work” .