Date of Award
2017
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Abraham S. Fischler College of Education
Advisor
Anne Joslin
Committee Member
Robert Scheidet
Committee Member
Kimberly Durham
Keywords
academic success, Campbell Collaboration, decision makers, familial structures, literature review, middle school students, parental involvement, PRISMA, social capital theory, socioeconomic status, systematic review, urban culture, urban high school students, urban middle school students
Abstract
The problem on which this study focused was the ambiguity of the impact of parental involvement strategies and programs used today that would appropriately address the academic needs of urban middle and high school students depending on their individual needs, including factors such as familial structures and socioeconomic status. The purpose of the study was to examine existing literature related to the involvement of parents of urban middle and high school students and its impact on academic success.
The research method used in this study was a systematic review of the literature following the protocol outlined by the Campbell Collaboration and guidance from the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) Checklist. The major question this systematic review of the literature was designed to answer was, “What are the most effective parental involvement strategies to utilize with urban middle and high school students in an effort to improve academic success?”
The analysis of the literature revealed parental involvement could significantly impact the academic success of urban middle and high school students. Findings emphasized the importance of decision makers understanding the culture of urban middle and high school students in order to develop and implement effective parental involvement programs. Findings were consistent with the social capital theory, particularly building capacity for community and urban culture and context. As a result, the conclusion was drawn that parental involvement programs’ success or failure might be a result of decision makers’ attention and approach to social capital.