Desirable parental participation in activities in compulsory schools

Abstract

This study on parental involvement in 20 compulsory schools in Iceland reveals what school professionals, teenagers and parents think is desirable parent participation. The majority of the students want their parents to participate, but primarily only in the academic portion of their school activities. The school staff was very positive towards traditional parents’ participation in social activities, but reluctant when participation touched upon their expertise in academic activities. The parents also found it most desirable to participate in social activities, and generally the more educated parents favoured parental involvement more than the parents with less education. In all groups, the interest in parents’ participation declined as the students grew older. The findings are discussed in light of Epstein’s family-school-community partnership model (Epstein 2011, Epstein et al. 2002), some critical perspectives, and Jeynes’ (2011) meta-analytical research which claims that supporting parents in subtle ways is most effective.