Beyond Conferences: Attitudes of High School Administrators toward Parental Involvement in One Small Midwestern State.

The importance of parental involvement for students of all ages has been documented by researchers and acknowledged by practitioners. Although many earlier studies have contended that there is a positive association between parental involvement and school performance at the middle and high school levels, administrators in the field are aware that parental involvement levels de cline as a child progresses through school, and that there are many challenges associated with implementing parental involvement strategies at the secondary level. This study assessed the attitudes of South Dakota high school principals regarding parental involvement in four categories including communication, competency, collaboration issues, and external factors. Analysis of the data revealed that while principals may agree that parental involvement is critical at the secondary level, implementation of appropriate and meaningful roles for parents is challenging. The most significant differences in principals’ attitudes were found within the complex category of communication. Other slight attitudinal differences were found in the responses of principals to statements related to external factors which may inhibit secondary level parental involvement. The attitude of the principal cannot be understated when it comes to establishing a schoolwide parent involvement program. Thus, many principals would be well served to assess their own attitudes toward this sometimes overlooked aspect of educational partnerships.