School Parent Relations Research Articles

Competencies of Teachers Regarding School–Parent Relations: A Case of Antalya

Aim of the study is to determine competence of classroom teachers and branch teachers regarding school–parent relations according to the opinions of school principals and supervisors. This study is based on a survey model. The population of this study consists of school principals who work in public primary and middle schools in the central districts of Antalya province, Turkey, together with education supervisors working in Antalya province. The school principals were chosen by cluster sampling method and supervisors were chosen by random method. In order to solve the sub-problems of the study; arithmetic mean and standard deviation were calculated and Mann Whitney U and Kruskall Walls tests were applied. In accordance with the findings of the study; the participants think that classroom teachers are more qualified and capable than branch teachers. It is recommended that in-service training programmes be organized in order to improve teachers' qualifications in school-family communication and cooperation, and that common public education programmes be organized in relation to the effects of family and society on education as a means to provide awareness for the target group.

School—Parent Relations in Lebanon

Lebanon is a nation whose history may be depicted as continuous social, political, and sectarian conflict due to European political meddling and a protracted civil war. Although finding common ground in this complex milieu over the past several decades has been challenging, political and educational reforms have been enacted. The role of parents in the education of their children, however, may be characterized as being both limited and school centered. The paucity of empirical research on school–parent relations in Lebanon provides an opportunity for scholars to inform future educational policy processes.

Notes From the Editors: Introduction to Special Issue—International Perspectives on School-Parent Relations

Notes From the Editors: Introduction to Special Issue—International Perspectives on School-Parent Relations

Parent and School Relations in Latvia

Families in Latvia know what is best for their children, and they make a major contribution to their education. Consequently, it is important to build close partnerships between school and family. This article reviews extant research that provides insight into the nature of school–parent relations in Latvia as the nation stands at the crossroads of policy and practice. Examples of extant practices draw on research, development, and current school practices in Latvian schools.

School—Parent Relations in Victorian Schools

This article provides commentary that focuses on school—parent relations in Australia through exploration of schools in the state of Victoria across three aspects: school—parent partnership, parental involvement in the governance of schools, and parental involvement in school accountability processes. Parental involvement is typically at a level controlled by the school, rather than a more participatory and reciprocally influential activist level. At a time when there is a renewed emphasis on autonomy for schools in Victoria, it is suggested that there is urgency for research focused on an activist orientation, rather than the controlled parental involvement currently evident.

Notes From the Editors: Introduction to Special Issue-International Perspectives on School-Parent Relations

Notes From the Editors: Introduction to Special Issue-International Perspectives on School-Parent Relations

School—Parent Relations in Finland

This article provides insight into the nature and scope of home–school cooperation in Finland. Situating the study is a brief overview of the Finnish education system and a discussion of the Programme for International Student Assessment reports that place Finnish student outcomes at the top of rankings among industrialized nations for the past decade. Legislation and research findings about principals’ work at the school level and municipal levels of government frame a discussion of parents’ roles in a rapidly changing Finnish society and in the local provision of education.

Notes From the Editors: Introduction to Special Issue-International Perspectives on School-Parent Relations

Notes From the Editors: Introduction to Special Issue-International Perspectives on School-Parent Relations

Parental Involvement in Norwegian Schools

This article examines findings on key challenges of school–parent relations in Norway. The review is based on recent large-scale studies on several issues, including formalized school–parent cooperation, parental involvement in the pedagogical discourse, and teacher perspectives on the parents’ role in the school community. Findings suggest a biased pattern in the formal school–parent collaboration, where parent groups from lower educational and socioeconomic levels systematically fall out of participation. Evidence also indicates a pattern of teachers’ rejection of parent participation when discussions concern pedagogical matters, with parents held at arm’s length when conversations focus on student learning.

Notes From the Editors. Introduction to Special Issue: International Perspectives on School-Parent Relations

Notes From the Editors. Introduction to Special Issue: International Perspectives on School-Parent Relations

Parent Involvement and Educational Outcomes for Latino Students

AbstractThis study focuses on the determinants and effects of parent involvement in schools, in the context of urban school districts, and particularly with regard to the schools that serve Latino students. Three research questions are investigated in this article: (1) What are schools doing to support parents, foster involvement and engagement in their children's schools, and generally create strong parent‐school relations? (2) How effective are schools at fostering parent involvement? (3) Do schools with more effective parent involvement practices and greater parent participation perform at higher levels than those with less effective practices and lower levels of parent involvement? Data on Latino representation on Local School Councils (LSCs), school‐level demographic and performance indicators, and information on effective school organization, parent involvement, and school practices regarding outreach and engagement with parents and communities are used to investigate these questions. The empirical analysis demonstrates that in addition to previously established aspects of effective school organization, governing arrangements and Latino political incorporation play a critical role in building stronger, more supportive school–parent relations and in encouraging higher levels of parent involvement in formal school activities. Moreover, these practices and relations were found to have important implications for Latino student performance.