Abstract
ABSTRACTParents’ experiences and satisfaction with their child’s compulsory school are affected by several factors. Some, such as parents’ education and marital status, are social factors, while others are school factors that local leaders and school personnel can address. Findings build on data from an online questionnaire to parents in 20 compulsory schools in Iceland (n = 2129). Factor analysis generated two factors: communication and teaching. These, together with a question on parents’ overall satisfaction with the school, were used as outcome variables in a regression analysis exploring what influences parents’ satisfaction with the school. The majority of parents were satisfied, which may make it is easy to overlook those who are dissatisfied. Parents who felt that their children had special needs that were not acknowledged in school were more likely to be dissatisfied than other parents. Educational background was also influential. Single mothers were overrepresented in the group of unsatisfied parents; they experienced more difficulties in communicating with school personnel, believed less in the possibility for parents to influence the school, and more frequently experienced that their child’s need for special support was not met in school. The findings imply that equity in Icelandic schools is disputable.
Highlights
The topic for this article is parental involvement in school in Iceland and the possible factors that influence parents’ satisfaction with school.Schools are under pressure: International largescale assessments indicate that schools in most Nordic countries are scoring lower than before, and that schools have become more segregated in terms of students’ academic results (Skolverket, 2009, 2012)
The strand of parental involvement within the larger project was concerned with providing an overview of what characterizes a home–school relationship in Icelandic schools, and discovering what parents, school personnel, and teenage students find desirable in parental participation (Jónsdóttir, 2013, 2015; Jónsdóttir & Björnsdóttir, 2012, 2014)
The educational level among single mothers is lower compared to the other parent groups in this study, and the findings indicate that parental background influences aspects such as receiving special support in school
Summary
The topic for this article is parental involvement in school in Iceland and the possible factors that influence parents’ satisfaction with school.Schools are under pressure: International largescale assessments indicate that schools in most Nordic countries are scoring lower than before, and that schools have become more segregated in terms of students’ academic results (Skolverket, 2009, 2012). Sahlberg claimed that the sixth element of the global educational reform movement (GERM) was the increased control of schools. The influence of GERM is visible in Iceland; for example, in the most recent White paper on educational reform (Mennta- og menningarmálaráðuneytið, 2014), where measures and measurable goals for improving schools are described. It is visible in the yearly plans set forth by school authorities, for example in Reykjavík, where myriad indicators for evaluating school practices are defined (Reykjavíkurborg, 2015). This study focuses on how the ideal of equity in education is being challenged through practices connected to parent and school relationships
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