Kindergarten and First-Grade Teachers' Reported Knowledge of Parents' Involvement in Their Children's Education

Abstract

In 65 schools in 4 communities 190 kindergarten and first-grade teachers rated parents' involvement in their children's education on a 24-item scale. Results revealed that a significant portion of teachers reported limited knowledge of parents' involvement in their children's education. Teachers reported having less knowledge of involvement that takes place outside the school than of involvement at school. Teachers also reported less knowledge about the at-home involvement of African-American parents than of white or Hispanic parents and less knowledge about the at-home involvement of parents who did not have a high school education. These findings are consistent with parent and teacher reports of lack of consistent opportunities for meaningful communication between parents and teachers and indicate directions for future research and for improving school-home partnerships.