What Research Says About...
Encouraging Latino Parents to
Become Involved in Postsecondary Planning
According to Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler (1995, 1997), one reason parents become involved in their children’s education is because they see school involvement as an important part of their parenting role. Because the activities associated with parent involvement change once students enter the middle grades, some parents may not be aware that there are still important ways in which they should be involved. Chrispeels and Gonzalez (2004) have observed that increased knowledge about how to help their children and how the school system works was the strongest predictor of Latino parent involvement with secondary-aged children. Yet, many Latino parents, particularly those who have not attended college themselves, do not understand that their involvement—in the forms described in the previous section—is critical to their child’s academic progress. These findings imply that strategies for engaging Latino parents should include education about the need for parents to take an active role in postsecondary planning and about the specific activities entailed by this role.
Parents also decide to become involved if they believe that they have the competence to help their children succeed in school (Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler, 1995, 1997; Deslandes and Bertrand, 2005). Many Latino parents are reluctant to engage school personnel, because they do not feel qualified to question those who are in the position of teaching their children (Carrasquillo and London, 1993) and they lack the sociocultural knowledge that precludes participation in formal school activities (Delgado-Gaitan, 1991). Helping these parents gain a greater sense of confidence in approaching the school is critical. This can be done by providing opportunities for Latino parents to develop knowledge and skills—particularly those related to communication, leadership, technology, and English-language literacy. A body of research has linked parents’ increased participation in their children’s education with the development of these important competencies (Delgado-Gaitan, 1991; Hyslop, 2000; Quezeda, 2003; Scribner, Young, and Pedroza, 1999; Vandegrift and Greene, 1992).
Finally, parents often decide to become involved in their children’s
school as a result of their interaction with other parents. In a study of
parent networks, Sheldon (2002) found that the more connections a mother
had with other parents at her child’s school, the more likely she was
to be involved in her child’s education. Likewise, Useem’s (1992)
study of mothers of middle school children indicated that mothers who were
more integrated into informal parent networks, compared to mothers who were
isolated, knew more about school policies regarding math tracks and could
influence their children’s placement. Furthermore, McNamara Horvat,
Weininger, and Lareau (2003) have shown that parent networks can serve as
valuable sources of social capital, particularly when parents need to confront
problematic school situations. This body of research suggests that
outreach strategies need to include activities that help Latino parents,
particularly those who have been isolated, to connect socially with one another.
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