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African American ParentPerceptions of K-12 Education

Done to Us, not with Us:

UNCF

Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute





Acknowledgments

The authrs wuld like t thank Hart Research Assciates, Mari Brssard and MEE Prductins Inc. fr

cllecting the data that served as the fundatin fr this mngraph, and several members f the Mnitr

Institute (Allan Ludgate, Jared Schachner and Nadira Lalji) fr prviding valuable feedback.

The Waltn Family Fundatin generusly funded the research fr this mngraph.

Suggested citatin: Bridges, B.K., Awkya, J.T., & Messan, F. (2012). Done to Us, Not With Us: African American

Parent Perceptions of K-12 Education. Washingtn, DC: Frederick D. Pattersn Research Institute, UNCF.

Brian K. Bridges, Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute, UNCF Janet T. Awokoya, Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute, UNCF Frances Messano, Monitor Institute



Table of Contents

Foreword ........................................................................4

Introduction ...................................................................6

Study Scope and Methods ............................................7

Key Findings ..................................................................7

Recommendations ......................................................14

Conclusion ...................................................................15

Appendix ......................................................................16

Several parents reported that though they understand that being involvedor visible at their children’s school was important, that sort of engagementwas also more difficult than involvement at home due to time, transportationissues and work constraints.

DoNE To US, NoT WITH US: AFRICAN AMERICAN PARENT PERCEPTIoNS oF K-12 EDUCATIoN 03



Foreword

This reprt frm UNCF’s Frederick D. Pattersn Research Institute, Done to Us, Not With Us: African American Parent

Perceptions of K-12 Education, ffers a revealing glimpse f the American system f public educatin frm the perspective

f thse with the biggest stake in better schls: the parents f the African American children wh are least well served by

the system. As the reprt says in its first paragraph,

Too many African American communities are plagued with low-quality, under-resourced K-12 public schools and educators who are less experienced thanthose in schools in high-income neighborhoods. These and other obstacles onlyexacerbate the widening educational attainment gap. This persistent gap andother educational disparities continue to threaten our country’s short-termeconomic recovery and long-term growth.

It is an assessment few wuld dispute, and it has given rise t a vibrant educatin refrm mvement that predminantly

targets the educatin received by African American children and ther students f clr. The mvement has spawned

refrm-minded chancellrs and superintendents and a thriving sectr f public charter schls. But as currently

cnfigured, educatin refrm’s rts may be shallw, because it has been prpelled t frequently nt frm the bttm but

frm the tp, ften leaving parents and cmmunity members with the feeling captured by this reprt’s title, that educatin

refrm has been dne nt with them, but t them. And the histry f scial change, like the civil rights struggle, teaches us

that n such mvement can succeed withut the supprt and active engagement f its intended beneficiaries.

What will it take t earn the engagement f parents and cmmunities in the mvement fr better schls and bettereducatin? Done to Us, Not With Us addresses this questin in detail. But tw brad needs stand ut. Parents and

cmmunities need leadership, nt frm utside, but frm within the cmmunity itself. And they need infrmatin, frm

surces they trust, cmmunicated in ways they understand and believe.

Leadership. When we asked African American parents whse judgment they mst respected n matters relating t their

children’s educatin, they did nt cite authrities r experts, but ther, mre knwledgeable, parents. They als cited

cmmunity leaders and, verwhelmingly, faith leaders—grups ften described as “grasstp” leaders. Fr African American

children t get the educatin they need, and that their cmmunities and cuntry need them t have, these grasstp leaders

will need t draw cmmunities tgether in supprt f better schls.

When we asked African American parents whose judgment they mostrespected on matters relating to their children’s education, they did not citeauthorities or experts, but other, more knowledgeable, parents.

04 DoNE To US, NoT W ITH US: AFRICAN AMERICAN PARENT PERCEPTIoNS oF K-12 EDUCATIoN



T take rt and endure, hwever, the mvement t give African American children the educatin they need will als

require leadership t help channel cmmunity cncern and build public will. That leadership will need t be able t cnvene

diverse cmmunity interests and help mediate differences in perspective.

We believe that UNCF—a deeply rted legacy rganizatin that after nearly 70 years cntinues t make a difference in

the educatinal lives f African Americans—can play this rle. Its missin f sending African American children t and

thrugh cllege has resulted in mre than 400,000 cllege degrees and hundreds f thusands f schlarships. Its 40 years

f natinwide “A mind is a terrible thing t waste”® PSA campaigns has brught it almst universal recgnitin, respect

and supprt, enabling it t raise mre than $3.5 billin t invest in the educatin f African Americans and ther students

f clr. And its netwrk f member clleges and universities and area ffices has established its presence arund the

cuntry.

Information. N facts are mre revealing than these: Mst lw-incme, African American parents d nt believe that

African American children are receiving the kind f educatin that prepares them fr cllege, the gal t which their

parents verwhelmingly aspire. Yet, just as verwhelmingly, they believe that the public schls their wn children attend

are “excellent” r “pretty gd.” As the reprt bserves, this “gap between parental aspiratins fr their children t attend a

fur-year cllege and the reality f their academic readiness is much mre trubling than parents realize, ften negatively

affecting their sns’ and daughters’ ability t get int cllege.” Parents need infrmatin that gives them a realistic

assessment f their public schls. They need infrmatin abut pssible alternatives t under-perfrming nearby public

schls. And they need help knwing what specific steps they can take t get their children a gd educatin.

By virtually every measure, public schls that serve African American students are srely in need f transfrmative

imprvement. Students need and deserve it; the 21st-century ecnmy demands it. But imprvement cannt take place

withut the active engagement f the parents f the students served by the schls. This reprt demnstrates that African

American parents see that schls are falling shrt. They are eager fr cmmunity-based leadership that can bring abut

refrm. And they are mre than ready t be engaged.

Michael L. Lomax, Ph.D.

President and CEo

UNCF

No facts are more revealing than these: Most low-income, African Americanparents do not believe that African American children are receiving the kindof education that prepares them for college, the goal to which their parentsoverwhelmingly aspire. Yet, just as overwhelmingly, they believe that thepublic schools their own children attend are “excellent” or “pretty good.”




Introduction

Despite the imprtance f pstsecndary educatin t the ecnmic and scial vitality f the U.S. and the individuals wh

pursue this academic gal, the educatinal pipeline t and thrugh cllege is brken fr cmmunities f clr, the fastest-

grwing segment f the ppulatin. The kindergarten-t-cllege pipeline fr African Americans is particularly damaged.

Accrding t recent data, mre than 34 percent f white adults in the U.S. have earned a bachelr’s degree r higher,

cmpared with 20 percent f African American adults.1 Perhaps mst trubling is that the gap between these tw grups

has grwn ver the past 30 years. Accrding t ACT,2 nly five percent f African American high schl graduates meet

cllege readiness benchmarks acrss fur majr subjects (English, reading, math and science).3 Further, t many African

American cmmunities are plagued with lw-quality, under-resurced K-12 public schls and educatrs wh are less

experienced than thse in schls in high-incme neighbrhds.4 These and ther bstacles nly exacerbate the widening

educatinal attainment gap. This persistent gap and ther educatinal disparities cntinue t threaten ur cuntry’s shrt-

term ecnmic recvery and lng-term grwth.

one f the mst effective ways t address educatinal disparities is t ensure that mre students receive rigrus

academic preparatin frm kindergarten thrugh 12th grade, s they graduate frm high schl cllege-ready. In additin

t academic preparatin, what is amng the mst imprtant factrs in facilitating students’ educatinal attainment

and success? Parental invlvement.5 In fact, findings frm several studies have linked parental invlvement t psitive

educatinal utcmes including higher grade-pint averages; increased achievement in reading, writing and math; lwer

drput rates; and academic self-efficacy.6 Althugh all students benefit frm parental invlvement, research shws that

parental invlvement fr students f clr and thse frm lw-incme backgrunds significantly impacts their children’s

schl perfrmance.7

Given the imprtant rle that parents play in supprting students thrughut their educatinal lives, UNCF wanted t better

understand hw lw-incme African American parents view the K-12 educatin system and their rle in supprting their

children. The authentic vice f parents and their unfiltered beliefs and perceptins are largely absent frm the educatin

refrm dialgue, s UNCF wanted t hear and understand their cncerns and aspiratins directly frm them. As a result,

we cnducted a research study in February and March 2012 cnsisting f fcus grup interviews and surveys. The fllwing

questins guided the investigatin:

• Attitudesandbeliefs:Whatexpectationsdoparentshavefortheirchildren’seducation?Whatareparents’perceptionsof

the educatin system verall, f their lcal schls, f the educatin refrm mvement, and f the leaders driving change?

• Behaviorsanddecisionmaking:Whatactionsdoparentstakerelativetotheirchildren’seducation?Whatfactorsdrive

thse actins?

• Sourcesofinformationandinfluencers:Whereandfromwhomdoparentsgetinformationrelatedtotheirchildren’s

educatin, and the educatin system mre bradly? Hw d parents view the rle that UNCF culd play in supprting the

educatinal needs f their children?

In addition to academic preparation, what is among the most importantfactors in facilitating students’ educational attainment and success? Parental

involvement. ... Although all students benefit from parental involvement,research shows that parental involvement for students of color and thosefrom low-income backgrounds significantly impacts their children’s schoolperformance.




Study Scope and Methods

This reprt is a meta-analysis f a tw-part research prgram that invlved bth a quantitative survey and qualitative fcusgrups. The study was cnducted in February and March 2012 in five target cities: Atlanta, Detrit, Memphis, New orleans

and Washingtn, D.C. These cities were chsen because they have large African American ppulatins, rbust educatin

refrm effrts are under way r are part f a planning prcess t address the cities’ challenges, and UNCF has a strng

institutinal presence there. These cities in particular face many f the educatinal challenges that prevent t many

African American children frm fulfilling their ptential, and they therefre serve as excellent testing grunds.

Details abut the qualitative and quantitative methds are lcated in the appendix.

Key Findings

The key findings frm this study reinfrce and add greater details t the bdy f knwledge abut African American parents

and their invlvement in the educatin f their children. Mst imprtant, a substantial percentage f lw-incme African

American parents and caregivers wh participated in the study (87 percent) have high aspiratins fr their children and

verwhelmingly want them t graduate frm cllege (Figure 1).

This finding is particularly significant because it

indicates that these parents have the desire fr their

children t earn a fur-year cllege degree. Hwever,

as subsequent findings will indicate, a hst f ther

challenges, including pr academic preparedness,

lw-quality schls and a lack f knwledge abut

hw t navigate the educatinal system, hinder these

parents and students frm realizing their educatinal

gals.

While the wealth f data cllected culd prvide a hst

f secndary cnclusins, what fllws are the key

takeaways frm the study.

Participants view engaged parents as the key to a

child’s successful education and generally described

themselves as very engaged with their children’s

teachers and schools.Generally, lw-incme, African American parents are ften viewed as being less engaged with their children’s academics

than are middle- and high-incme parents.8 Hwever, parents in this study saw themselves as very engaged in multiple

ways. In fact, 87 percent f parents said they regularly review their child’s test scres and grades, 75 percent regularly

speak with their child’s teachers, 75 percent regularly read t their children and help with hmewrk, 68 percent wrk t

understand grade-level standards acrss subjects, and 51 percent research schl ptins fr their children (Figure 2).

Extremelyimportant 74%

13%

9%

Quiteimportant

Somewhatimportant

Not thatimportant

Not importantat all

3%

1%

Figure 1. Percentage of Low-Income Parents Who Believe It IsImportant for Their Children to Attend and Graduate from College




Additinally, parents cited ther ways in which

they supprt their children, such as creating

extra hmewrk assignments t keep them

challenged, vlunteering at their children’sschl, purchasing supplemental educatinal

materials, and enrlling them in ut-f-

schl enrichment prgrams. Hwever,

several parents reprted that thugh they

understand that being invlved r visible at

their children’s schl was imprtant, that

srt f engagement was als mre difficult

than invlvement at hme due t time,

transprtatin issues and wrk cnstraints.

Parents als expressed frustratin abut

uninvlved parents. They specificallyreferenced yunger parents, wh they believe

may nt be as actively engaged in their

children’s educatin due t lack f knwledge abut hw t navigate the educatinal system r prir negative experiences.

one parent mentined, “We have a lot of young parents that really don’t care … parents used to be involved with everybody’s

kids.” Yet anther parent believed that a lack f infrmatin was the true driver, saying, “Some parents need somebody to

walk them through it.” Despite these cncerns abut uninvlved parents, a few parents cautined that all the blame shuld

nt be placed slely n them. “It’s not the parents, it’s the system.” The reality shared by many f these parents is that

they are encuntering cnsiderable financial stress. They ften have multiple jbs and want t supprt their children’s

educatinal pursuits but have many ther pressing needs that divert their energy and attentin.

Parents often don’t know what they don’t know.

Parents expressed interest in gaining access t

resurces and infrmatin t supprt their children’s

K-12 educatin as well as successfully navigating the

cllege prcess. When asked t chse the tp three

cntent areas in which they need mre infrmatin t

help their children be successful, ne parent stated,

“It’s hard to select a top three because parents would

kill to have information on all of these.” (See appendix

fr full list f chices.) Hwever, while mst parents

believe that accessing infrmatin abut schl quality

is at least smewhat easy (Figure 3), fewer engage in

activities that require mre effrt, such as researchingbest schl ptins fr their children. Parents with

children in the lwest quality schls need the mst

help lcating reliable surces f infrmatin abut

schl quality. Thirty-fur percent f these parents

nted challenges in getting reliable infrmatin abut

schl quality in their neighbrhds.

Reviewing child’stest scores 87%

75%

75%

68%

Reading to child andhelping with homework

Understanding grade-levelstandards across subjects

Researching

school options

Regularly speak tochild’s teachers

51%

Figure 2 . Percentage of Low-Income Parents Who Support Their Children inthe Following Ways on a Regular Basis

Figure 3 . Accessibility of Reliable Information on School Qualityin the Local Community

Veryeasy

52%

28%

10%

Somewhateasy

Fairlychallenging

Verychallenging

Notsure

8%

2%




Parents als questined the reliability f data used

t assess schl perfrmance, ntably the use f

standardized tests as an utcme measure (Figure

4). While many parents used schl standardizedtest scres as a prxy fr quality, they did nt

feel that these tests were gd indicatrs f hw

well children were learning. one mther said her

daughter did nt perfrm well n standardized

tests but ended up being her class valedictrian.

one father nted that standardized tests were nt

the mst accurate demnstratin f “how brilliant

a child can be.” Anther father simply said, “I think

the standardized test is a crock.” Despite these

significant misgivings, a small but vcal bdy f

parents acknwledged that testing is a vital part f

the educatinal experience that their children mustlearn t manage. “If education is to help prepare our

children for life, we cannot ignore results. Ultimately,

we have to instill in our children that you will be

measured in life by some result, by some outcome,”

declared ne father.

overall, parents and caregivers want additinal

infrmatin that can help them supprt their

children’s academic success. Beynd infrmatin

abut schl quality, sme f the resurces and

infrmatin parents cited included understanding

what their children need t knw acrss subjects

at each grade level, supprting their children’s

academic prgress at hme, and prviding

encuragement and supprt t their children

beynd academics (Figure 5).

Parents may have issues with their local schools,

but not their children’s school.

Parent perceptins f public schls in their

immediate neighbrhd and their satisfactin

with the quality f their children’s educatin were

misaligned, creating an unrealistic paradx arundexpectatins f schl perfrmance. The majrity

f parents and caregivers (80 percent) rated their

children’s schl as excellent r pretty gd

(Figure 6). At the same time, many parents felt

that the schls in their immediate neighbrhd

were nt effectively educating children. Frty-ne

percent f parents believe that schls in their lcal

Figure 4 . Percentage of Low-Income Parents with Favorable, Mixedand Unfavorable Impressions of Standardized Testing in Schools

6 percent f respndents said “nt sure.”

31%

Favorable(Very favorable 18%)

Mixed Unfavorable(Very unfavorable 10%)

42%

21%

Figure 5 . Percentage of Low-Income Parents Who Say Supportin the Following Areas Would Be Very Helpful

Academic supportfor child at home 95%

93%Grade-level

expectations for child

Support for childbeyond academics

Advocacy for

school change

What a goodteacher looks like

71%

54%

91%

Excellent 36%

44%Pretty good

Just OK

Not so good

Poor

Not sure

2%

2%

0%

16%

Figure 6 . Parental Ratings of Their Children’s Schools




cmmunities are nt ding a gd r excellent jb f preparing students fr cllege. Several parents said their children

attended a neighbrhd schl and felt that the schl was ding a gd jb f academically preparing them, prviding an

interesting cntrast between hw parents felt abut the quality f lcal schls and their children’s schl. While parents

had cnfidence in their children’s schls, the actual perfrmance f urban public schls in the five target cities in thisstudy ffers a stark cntrast. The gap between parental aspiratins fr their children t attend a fur-year cllege and the

reality f their academic readiness is much mre trubling than parents realize, ften negatively affecting their sns’ and

daughters’ ability t get int cllege.

The majrity f the parents attributed the pr perfrmance f their lcal schls t negative neighbrhd and schl

envirnments, lack f resurces, and a lack f quality teachers. When asked abut this tpic, ne parent nted, “Some of

our kids don’t want to go to school because of what’s happening in their communities.” Anther parent cmmented, “I think

sometimes in our communities, we don’t get the cream of the crop. We get the teachers nobody else wants.” Eighty-seven

percent f participating parents and caregivers cite a safe, secure, vilence-free envirnment as ne f the mst imprtant

factrs when chsing a schl fr their children, indicating that African American parents are priritizing the basic need

fr a safe schl ver ther measures f schl quality mre strngly crrelated with cllege readiness (Figure 7). This als

speaks t the real cncerns that parents and children face n a daily basis related t crime and ther envirnmental factrsthat affect a child’s educatin.

Several lw-incme parents in the study shared that they and sme f their peers sent their children t schls utside f

their neighbrhd fr a better educatin. “I can’t tell [if my neighborhood schools are doing a good job] because no one in my

community goes to school in my community,” ne father said. The result f parents sending their kids t schls utside f

their neighbrhd is even mre cmpelling when the next finding is cnsidered.

Parents appreciated the option of having

school choice; however, sending kids to

schools outside their communities posed

several challenges to the families and the

communities. Thse wh supprted schl chice believed

that it wuld raise the perfrmance f all

schls, making them mre cmpetitive. This

increased cmpetitin wuld, in thery, push

all schls t make a mre cncerted effrt t

better educate students, ensuring they met a

cllege- and career-ready standard.

Parents felt that the chices fr high-

quality schls were limited, as the quality

schls were nt lcated in their immediate

neighbrhds. one father stated, “If you have

the transportation and the time to take your kids

to school, you have plenty of options, but if you

don’t have that available to you, your options are

limited.” Anther parent said, “I drive my son 35

miles to school every day because I see the good

his school has [done].” Attending thse schls

Safe, secure, & violence-free environment 87%

69%School

graduation rate

School standardizedtest scores

Closenessto home

School’s reputationamong people they know

Extracurricularactivities

Attended or close friend/relative attended

46%

43%

37%

19%

59%

Figure 7 . Percentage of Low-Income Parents Who Cite the Most ImportantFactors When Choosing a School for Their Child




requires extra effrts that nt all families are able t make. one mther said, “If you don’t have a car, you actually have less

choice.” The ntin f less chice is due t the fact that in many neighbrhds f the cities we surveyed, districts have

shuttered underperfrming r under-enrlled schls, reducing the number f lcal ptins.

Parents nted that as mre students attend schls utside f their cmmunity, there culd be an adverse impact n

neighbrhd schls by depleting them f necessary resurces. This negative impact culd be financial—when students

attend schls utside f their district, funds are typically transferred t the new district, further diminishing much-needed

resurces. As ne parent declared, “Once the money leaves, it’s over. They don’t want to give it back.” The negative impact

culd als be scial, in that weakened schls d nt prvide a fundatin arund which t build the cmmunal fabric.

“It was ‘separate but unequal’ back in the day. Now it’s ‘choice’ and unequal,” asserted ne mther.

The concept of “education reform” did not

generate positive reactions from parents,

and there was no consensus on the meaning

of the term.

Althugh the primary purpse f educatin refrmis t imprve public educatin fr all children,

participants varied in their understanding f the

term. Survey participants ffered a number f

respnses (e.g., teacher quality, increasing schl

funding, reducing class sizes), indicating a lack f

cnsensus n what the term means (Figure 8).

While sme parents believed the term cnnted

change, thers felt that little ever changes in the

educatin system. A small sampling f cmments

frm fcus grup participants defining the term

“educatin refrm” indicates hw empty the phrase

is t African American parents and caregivers.

•“More crap … in my experience it has not been a

positive thing.”

•“Here we go again.”

•“The debate rages on and no one understands the

impact on kids.”

•“It means more government bureaucracy … more of the government trying to tell us how we can do things here with our

children but their kids are all in private school.”

Further, many in the fcus grups believed that the current educatinal prgrams and plicies are nt wrking eithern the brader scale r in their lcal cmmunities. one mther expressed her frustratin abut utside rganizatins

cming in t prvide services withut paying attentin t the lcal culture. Many parents agreed that decisin makers wh

create educatin plicies are ut f tuch and cannt relate t the daily challenges f single parenthd, unemplyment r

wrking multiple jbs t make ends meet.

“It was ‘separate but unequal’ back in the day. Now it’s ‘choice’ and unequal,”asserted one mother.

Improved ordedicated teachers 16%

15%A good idea

Reducedclass sizes

Don’t know

Increasedschool funding

Focus onlearning outcomes

Greater parentalinvolvement

7%

6%

5%

11%

10%

Figure 8 . Parental Response to What “Education Reform” Means




Most parents felt they had a degree of personal power and influence at their children’s school, but acknowledged that

they sometimes face obstacles in exerting it.

Parents discussed the varius ways in which they engaged their children’s schls, including actively staying in cntact

with their children’s teachers thrugh e-mail and persnal visits t the schl. Parents als mentined that engagingtheir children’s schl cmes with bstacles. Many spke abut nt feeling welcme at their children’s schl, feeling

intimidated by “nasty” administratrs, and being made t feel that they d nt have a right t ask questins. Sme parents

wrried abut blatant retaliatin. one mther stated, “If you do voice your opinion, they take it out on your child.” Anther

parent reflected n this culture f discmfrt at her children’s schl, sharing, “You’re embarrassed to be bold and speak up

to someone who’s educated [when you are not].” Yung parents in particular felt that these bstacles hindered their schl

engagement.

These findings reinfrce sme f the pre-existing knwledge abut African American parents, wh tend t be very

cncerned abut the state f public educatin in general and are particularly cncerned with the utput f their lcal

schls. African American parents ften hld parents and families respnsible fr their children’s academic perfrmance

mre s than schls, as reflected in ne participant’s cmment, “From the front door to the school door, you have to be

involved.”

In contrast, hardly any parents felt they had personal power or influence to address issues in the school system

as a whole.

While mst parents were skeptical abut their ability t change the schl system as a whle, many felt that parents as

a grup culd exert pwer and advcate fr changes that culd imprve educatin fr all children. When asked whether

parents like them culd make a real difference in the public schl system in their cmmunity, 74 percent said it was

“pretty likely” r “very likely.” As the age f parents increased, s did the percentage wh selected “very likely.” This

indicates that parents feel a sense f empwerment that many might nt expect f lw-incme African Americans.

one mther described the ideal situatin, saying, “When I see there’s a whole bunch of people somewhere that have the same

issues I have, we can all sit down and talk about it and come up with something that we can do as a community. … It takes a

whole village to raise these children.”

Parents would like to see strong African American

leadership driving change.

Building n the theme f cultivating greater invlvement,

parents believe that mre African American parents,

cmmunity leaders and rganizatins need t be actively

invlved t significantly imprve schls (Figure 9).More

effective62%

28%

3%

Just as

effective

Less

effective

Not

sure7%

Figure 9 . Percentage of Low-Income Parents Who Believe thatPublic School Reform Efforts Would Be More, Less, or Just asEffective if African American Leaders Were More Involved




Churches, by far, and parents themselves

were identified as the mst influential

and trustwrthy surces fr supprting

parents in their child’s educatinal jurney (Figure 10). This reinfrces the

earlier finding that engaged parents are

key t a child’s successful educatin and

further cnfirms that parents trust in

their pwer and that f ther parents.

The lngstanding influence f African

American clergy as leaders in these

cmmunities cntinues t resnate with

parents and caregivers as evidenced by

these data.

10%

20%

30%

40%

0%

Churches and church programs

Parents

Teachers

Don’t know

PTA/PTO

Schools, after-school programs

School counselors

Principals, school administrators

Elected officials

Other family members

36%

14%12%

8% 7% 7%6% 6% 6% 6%

Figure 10 . Percentage of Low-Income Parents Who Cite the FollowingOrganizations or Individuals as Most Influential, Trustworthy and Effective atSupporting Low-Income Parents in Helping Their Children Do Well in School

and Get Prepared for College




Recommendations

The insights frm the research suggest prmising strategies t further educate, engage and mbilize African American

parents and cmmunities in the educatinal lives f their children. our bjective in this reprt is nt t be verly

prescriptive n tactics, but t highlight fur brad appraches t African American parental engagement:

1. Connect the aspirations of parents to a roadmap on how to get there

Parents have high aspiratins fr their children and recgnize the imprtance f attending cllege t achieve their dreams.

Hwever, they struggle t translate these ambitins int the specific steps they need t take t prepare their children fr

educatinal success. Mst f the necessary infrmatin exists smewhere in sme frm, but even system-savvy parents

struggle t keep up with it all. A “checklist fr cllege” that helps parents navigate the jurney frm kindergarten t high

schl graduatin culd change all that. It wuld prvide parents and their children with the infrmatin they need t

identify early childhd prgrams, select high-quality schls, evaluate teachers, chse cllege-track classes by grade,

and navigate the cllege applicatin prcess. This radmap wuld help parents create an imprtant cllege-ging culture

at hme, highlight what is required t get students n a cllege track and utline the key decisins parents have t make t

get there.

2. Meet parents where they are with appropriate messaging and support

T further engage lw-incme African American parents in the educatinal lives f their children requires a recgnitin f

where the targeted audience is nw—experiencing financial, emtinal and envirnmental stresses n a daily basis. The

messages and supprt prvided t parents shuld acknwledge the barriers they face as well as their high aspiratins fr

their children. African American parents want t send their children t high-perfrming schls and seek infrmatin t

help guide their selectin prcess. Hwever, any messages targeted t these parents must acknwledge their desire fr

their children t be in a safe, vilence-free envirnment. T ensure that their children attend a safe and high-quality schl,

African American parents ften cnfrnt the daunting task f sending their children t schls utside f their cmmunity.

Parents want schl chice fr their children and sme have the capacity t navigate available chices, but what parents

deeply want are high-perfrming, safe schls in their cmmunity. Their “chice” will nt be authentic until ptins are

available fr quality educatin in their neighbrhds.

In additin, African American parents in this study were nt interested in messages rted in educatin refrm, gvernance

mdels r teacher tenure plicies. Instead, the cnversatin with parents shuld be framed in ways that further the

interests f their children and are aligned with their pririties. Parents want t supprt their children’s educatin jurney

but may nt have the time r resurces t be as invlved as they wuld like t be. As a result, infrmatin shuld be

made available t parents thrugh a variety f channels such as parent-led infrmatin sessins, nline resurces and

cmmunity frums at lcal schls r churches, which fcus grup participants cited as the tp three methds fr

receiving educatin-related infrmatin.

3. Engage parents using new voices that resonate with them

The message and the messenger matters. With an understanding f the infrmatin and messages that shuld be targeted

t African American parents, it is critical that new messengers are leveraged in the educatin and engagement prcess.

Parents repeatedly stated that they are mst influenced by ther “experienced” parents, faith leaders and cmmunity

leaders, r African American “grasstp” leaders. African American “grasstp” leaders, such as members f the clergy,

pliticians and cmmunity leaders, amng thers, hld a prminent psitin in the cmmunity and ften prvide directin

n scial, spiritual, plitical, ecnmic and educatinal issues fr their cmmunities. Therefre, effrts t reinfrce the

cllege-ging culture and prvide supprt t parents shuld be delivered by these key influencers. While these parents are

used t hearing frm “grasstp” leaders abut varius scial issues, having them cnsistently and strategically address the

imprtance f educatinal success in fresh, cntemprary ways can cnvey the urgency f cllege readiness. Cnnecting

parents and African American leaders can activate entire cmmunities t becme mre invlved, which culd translate int

advcating fr better schls and educatinal changes in their cmmunity s all children can benefit.




4. Strengthen the relationships between parents and schools

Strng relatinships are a tw-way street, and parents and schls will need t wrk tgether fr the mutual benefit f the

students. Parental invlvement is a critical cmpnent f prmting student success and shuld be a gal fr every schl.

Participants expressed cncern ver the fact that schl administratrs and educatrs ften made them feel unwelcmedwhen they visited the schl and during interactins with schl persnnel. T strengthen the relatinship between families

and educatrs, schls can wrk t psitively engage parents t ensure that they feel welcmed, that their cncerns are

addressed and that their vices matter. Schls must facilitate pprtunities fr parents t becme mre active in their

children’s educatin. Hwever, it is imprtant t nte that invlvement is viewed in a variety f ways by African American

parents and educatrs must prvide them with multiple pprtunities t engage, accmmdating parents’ wrk schedules

and the varius demands f their cmplex mdern lives. 10

Conclusion

This mngraph encapsulates the findings frm surveys and fcus grups f lw-incme African American parents

and caregivers. While these parents felt a sense f agency in their ability t impact the educatinal experience f theirchildren, they believe numerus bstacles exist that prevent them frm pushing fr all the change needed. Mst telling in

the results is that lw-incme African American parents want what is best educatinally fr their children and that their

circumstances, ften beynd their perceived cntrl, limit educatinal ptins. Hwever, these parents persist in trying t

prvide the mst ptimal educatin and supprt they can fr their children.

Given the need fr mre African Americans t earn a cllege degree and graduate frm high schl cllege-ready, we

believe that UNCF must insert itself as a trusted vice next t faith leaders and ther parents t educate and engage the

black cmmunity. Nt nly d we have t supprt parents as they navigate the cllege-ging prcess, but we als have t

highlight the larger educatinal crisis that exists within the African American cmmunity. We need t let parents knw that

they can make a difference and that their children can achieve higher utcmes than what sme might expect fr them. In

ur almst 70-year histry f supprting African American cllege cmpletin, UNCF is well psitined t help parents and

cmmunities navigate what is fr all children a very daunting jurney. Persisting all the way thrugh the educatin pipelinehas histrically nt been easy fr African Americans under the best f circumstances. The adage “it takes a village t raise

a child” remains as true tday as ever, and UNCF can actively engage with ther faith and cmmunity leaders as a “village

elder.” We want t radically change the stry f what is pssible nt just fr African American students but fr the African

American cmmunity as a whle. UNCF is passinately invested in transfrming dreams f cllege int reality, and we will

cntinue t push until all students wh want t g t cllege are affrded that pprtunity.

The results f this study will significantly enhance ur knwledge f lw-incme African American cmmunities, imprve

ur understanding f hw t reach parents in thse cmmunities, and may eventually shift educatin actrs’ perspectives

n hw t effectively engage African American parents.

Not only do we have to support parents as they navigate the college-going

process, but we also have to highlight the larger educational crisis that existswithin the African American community. We need to let parents know thatthey can make a difference and that their children can achieve higheroutcomes than what some might expect for them. In our almost 70-yearhistory of supporting African American college completion, UNCF is wellpositioned to help parents and communities navigate what is for all childrena very daunting journey.




Appendix

Data Collection Methods

Qualitative methodology

Acrss the five target cities, eight fcus grups were cnducted invlving African American parents and caregivers f

children (ages 5-18) wh attended public schl—traditinal r charter—r received a vucher t attend a private r

parchial schl. A ttal f 52 individuals participated in the fcus grups, which cnsisted f parents between the ages f

25 and 60. Participants als cmpleted demgraphic surveys.

Fcus grups were videtaped and recrded using traditinal qualitative data cllectin prcedures. As the first step

in analysis, the research team met internally t review the tapes in their entirety and t identify recurring themes and

patterns, which prduced cding schemes fr deeper analysis. Relevant clips frm each fcus grup were cmbined t

create separate videtapes fr each identified sub-theme, which allwed the researchers t make mre reliable inter-

grup cmparisns. The final interpretive analysis invlved examining the edited sub-theme videtapes and referring t theriginal master tapes when necessary t gain a fuller sense f the cntext f statements.

Quantitative methodology

A ttal f 1,355 surveys were cnducted with African American parents and caregivers frm lw-incme husehlds acrss

the cuntry, and versampling was dne t cllect 753 surveys in the five target cities. All parents and caregivers had

children attending a traditinal public schl, public magnet r public charter schl, r a private schl thrugh the use f

a vucher. All interviews were cnducted by telephne, except 64 in Atlanta and 63 in New orleans, which were cnducted

in persn at lcal malls.

The data were weighted in accrdance with U.S. Census Bureau figures. Descriptive statistics and frequencies were

cnducted fr each item t discern prminent findings.

Topics on Which Low-Income Parents Would Like More Information to Support Their Child’s Academic Progress

Options RatingTop 3

Selections% of Top 3Selections

Supprting yur children’s academic prgress at hme 9.8 33 66%

Prviding encuragement and supprt t yur child beynd academics 9.8 26 52%

Understanding what yur child needs t knw acrss subjects at each grade level 9.4 17 34%

Selecting a high-quality schl fr yur child 9.3 14 28%

Supprting yur child if s/he is behind a grade level 9.5 10 20%

Accessing lcal resurces t get ne-n-ne supprt fr yur child 9.4 10 20%

Understanding what a gd teacher lks like 8.9 7 14%

Explring extracurricular pprtunities fr yur child (e.g., music, sprts) 8.7 7 14%

Finding the best cllege fit fr yur child 9.2 7 14%

Advcating fr schl r schl-system change 9.4 7 14%

Getting int cllege 9.5 5 10%

Understanding what a gd schl lks like 8.5 4 8%

Saving fr cllege and applying fr schlarships 9.3 1 2%

Calculatins based n 50 respndents




Endnotes

1 Snyder, T. D., & Dillw, S. A. (2012). Digest of Education Statistics 2011 (NCES 2012-001). Natinal Center fr EducatinStatistics, Institute f Educatin Sciences, U.S. Department f Educatin. Washingtn, DC: U.S. Gvernment Printing office.

2 Knwn fr the ACT cllege entrance exam, ACT is a nnprfit rganizatin ffering educatinal and wrkplacemeasurement and research services.

3 ACT. (2012). The condition of college & career readiness 2012.

4 Frankenberg, E., & Lee, C. (2002). Race in American public schools: Rapidly resegregating school districts. Cambridge, MA:The Harvard Civil Rights Prject.

5 Hver-Dempsey, K. V., & Sandler, H. M. (1997). Why d parents becme invlved in their children’s educatin? Review of

Educational Research, 67 (1), 3-42.Jeynes, W. H. (2007). The relatinship between parental invlvement and urban secndary schl student academicachievement: A meta-analysis. Urban Education, 42, 82-110.Lee, J., & Bwen, N. K. (2006). Parent invlvement, cultural capital, and the achievement gap amng elementary schlchildren. American Educational Research Journal, 43,193-218.

6 Gutman, L. M. & Midgley, C. (2000). The rle f prtective factrs in supprting the academic achievement f pr AfricanAmerican students during the middle schl transitin. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 29(2), 233-248.Izz, C. V., Weissberg, R. P., Kasprw, W. J., & Fendrich, M. (1999). A lngitudinal assessment f teacher perceptins fparent invlvement in children’s educatin and schl perfrmance. American Journal of Community Psychology, 27 (6),817-839.Senechal, M., & LeFevre, J. (2002). Parental invlvement in the develpment f children’s reading skill: A five-yearlngitudinal study. Child Development, 73(2), 445-460.

7 Hlcmb-McCy, C. (2010). Invlving lw-incme parents and parents f clr in cllege readiness activities: An

explratry study. Professional School Counseling, 14(1), 115-124.8 Mles, o. C. (Ed.) (2000). Reaching all families: Creating family-friendly schools, beginning of school year activities. U.S.Department f Educatin. Washingtn, DC: U.S. Gvernment Printing office.Smalley, S. Y., & Reyes-Blanes, M. E. (2001). Reaching ut t African American parents in an urban cmmunity: Acmmunity–university partnership. Urban Education, 36(4), 518-533.

9 Cmmunities f clr and public schl refrm. (2011). Hart Research Assciates, Brssard Research & InsightsMarketing Grup.

10 Mapp, K. L. (1999). Making the cnnectin between families and schls: Why and hw parents are invlved in theirchildren’s educatin. Unpublished Dctral Dissertatin, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.






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The Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute (FDPRI) was established in 1996 and bears

the namesake of the founder of UNCF. FDPRI is dedicated to conducting and disseminating

research that informs policymakers, educators, philanthropists and the general public

on how to best improve educational opportunities and outcomes for African Americans

and other underrepresented minorities from preschool to and through college. For more

information on the institute and its work, visit www.uncf.org/fdpri.

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