| It is not known to what extent parental involvement continues to be problematic and, in some cases, nonexistent in urban elementary schools. NCLB has mandated school districts to implement parental involvement initiatives to increase parental participation within schools. However, these efforts have not been successful. Parental involvement is an essential component to the academic success of the student. The purpose of the study was to reveal teachers' and parents' perceptions of the barriers of parental involvement in urban elementary schools. The significance of the study was to compare teachers' and parents' perceptions of the barriers of parental involvement and gain an understanding of possible remedies to these obstacles. The revelation of significant barriers can serve as a vehicle for many educational leaders to improve or create initiatives to increase parental participation. As a result, gains in parental involvement will yield gains in student achievement. Furthermore, educational leaders, policy makers, and teachers must be optimistic that parental involvement issues will continue to interest researchers in order for new studies to be deployed. The study utilized a mixed method approach to investigate teachers' and parents' perceptions. A mixed method approach involves utilizing both quantitative and qualitative instruments to acquire new information about theories or concepts (Stange, C.K., Crabtree, F. B., & Miller, L. W., Publishing Multimethod Research. Annuals of Family Medicine, 2006). The methodology consisted of both quantitative and qualitative channels to provide data that ensures a coherent and comprehensive analysis of parental involvement barriers in urban elementary schools. Findings from the analysis of both parents' and teachers' perceptions of parental involvement revealed a large discrepancy. Analysis of parent questionnaires showed that many parents viewed the school environment as welcoming and supportive, however teachers' data revealed very low parent participation within the classroom. The study shows the need for further evaluation. Information found will help educational leaders create measures that will ensure improvement of parental participation. |
