Family Engagement Influences Student Achievement

A review of 50 recent studies on how family engagement affects student achievement found that students with involved parents are more likely to:

• earn higher grades and test scores and enroll in higher level programs
• be promoted, pass their classes, and earn credits
• attend school regularly
• have better social skills and show improved behavior
• adapt well to school.

These students are also more likely to graduate and go on to post-secondary education.  (Henderson and Mapp, 2002.)

"Monitoring how children use their time, engaging in home learning activities, and expressing high expectaitons for their children have a greater effect on student achievement than does family income or structure.  Reginald Clark's studies of what families do at home, across all backgrounds, have found that many high-achieving children live in single-parent households where the mother does not have a college education."  Beyond the Bake Sale by Henderson, Mapp, et al.