School location influencing parental involvement and cognitive skills of grade 1 students in Jamaica

Abstract

ABSTRACT In Jamaica, schools located in rural, city and inner-city areas experience different realities which may influence parental involvement and students’ academic outcomes. Therefore, this cross-sectional research investigates the extent to which school locations influence parental involvement and the cognitive skills of students in the first grade. Data on parental involvement were collected from 210 parents and 24 teachers while 104 male and 106 female students were administered a cognitive skills assessment. The results revealed moderate to high involvement of parents, with children attending schools in the city, ranking highest on parents’ efficacy for helping children to succeed and students’ cognitive skills. In addition, school location had a minimal significant influence on the relationship between parents’ report of parental involvement, invitations to be involved and on the cognitive skills of students. Effective collaboration between parents and schools contributes to the positive outcomes of students.