IMPROVING STUDENTS AND FAMILYS ENGAGEMENT

Recommendations for Improving Parental Collaboration at Marion P Thomas Charter School District Performing Art & Culinary Academy

ABSTRACT

This study offers recommendations to the leadership at the Performing Art & Culinary Academy (P.A.C.) site of Marion P. Thomas Charter school district to improve the practice of parent collaboration. The problem is the lack of parental engagement at Marion P. Thomas Charter School P.A.C. Academy. The central research question was how parental collaboration could be improved at Marion P. Even though there are multiple challenges connected with parental engagement in education, educators and parents have a positive and harmonious opinion on the importance of involvement.

To address the problem, multimethod data analysis was used. It included interviews, surveys, and document analysis. Thematic analysis and SPSS were used to analyze the data. Thomas Charter School P.A.C. Academy. To achieve this, Marion P. Thomas Charter School P.A.C. Academy stakeholders should initiate a strengthened partnership between the parents and schools; however, they must establish firm structures to sustain it. This initiative can be started by any stakeholder group but sustained by a comprehensive engagement and school leadership commitment. Proper activities to engage communities and parents embrace partnership philosophy.

Finally, Marion P. Thomas Charter School P.A.C. Academy and the parents should embrace technology to facilitate and support their relationship. Both in-person and online channels can enhance clear communication. These may include using social media outlets, school websites, and email distribution systems to keep parents engaged in their children's progress at School.

Table of Contents

Contents

ABSTRACT 3

Table of Contents 4

List of Tables 6

List of Figures 7

List of Abbreviations 8

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 9

Overview 9

Background. 9

The Organizational Profile 15

Problem Statement 15

Purpose Statement 17

Definitions 19

Summary 20

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 22

Overview 22

Theoretical Framework 23

Theory of Planned Behavior 23

Sociocultural Theory 24

The Theory of Street-Level Bureaucracy 24

Related Literature 25

Summary 39

CHAPTER THREE: METHODS AND PROCEDURES 41

Overview 41

Research Design 41

Research Questions 42

Setting 42

Participants 43

The researcher's role 44

Procedures 45

Data Collection and Analysis 45

Interviews 45

Interview Questions 46

Survey Procedures 49

Demographic Questions 50

Survey Questions 51

Document Analysis 54

Ethical Considerations 55

Summary 55

CHAPTER FOUR: FINDINGS 57

Overview 57

Findings for Qualitative Interviews 57

Survey Results 60

Document Analysis Results 62

CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSION 63

Overview 63

Restatement of the Problem 63

Proposed Solution to the Central Question 64

Resources Needed 65

Funds Needed 65

Roles and Responsibilities. 65

Solution Implications 65

Evaluation Plan 66

Summary. 66

References 69

APPENDIX or APPENDICES 74

Demographic Questions 74

Survey Questions 74

List of Tables

Table 1. Frequency Codes.58

Table 2. Parent/Guardian Level of Agreement for Each Survey Item. 61

List of Figures

Fig 1. Demographics of qualitative interview participants59

List of Abbreviations

P.C.A. ...Performing Art & Culinary Academy

M.P.T.C.SMarion P. Thomas Charter School

I.E.P Individualized Education Program.

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

Overview

This study provides recommendations to the leadership at the Performing Art & Culinary Academy (P.A.C.) site of Marion P. Thomas Charter school district to improve the practice of parent collaboration. This introduction covers the background of the problem, the organizational profile, problem statement, its importance, and the study's purpose. The primary research question is presented, and this section will also enclose a list of frequently used terms with definitions.

Background

Different situations influence the lives of school children, and sometimes by lack of collaboration between teachers, parents, school counselors, and politicians on how to deal with and prioritize different kinds of challenges that relate to social life within the school. A deliberate involvement of parents can be treated as the answer to such challenges; however, parental involvement can also, in some cases, be criticized for changing the focus of the school's social norms to an individual child's family life (Winthrop et al. 2021). In this paper, we focus on enhancing parental collaboration, providing opportunities for enhancing every child's school life experience, and solving some of these historical problems.

During a debate about the involvement of parents in…

IMPROVING STUDENTS AND FAMILYS ENGAGEMENT

Recommendations for Improving Parental Collaboration at Marion P Thomas Charter School District Performing Art & Culinary Academy

ABSTRACT

This study offers recommendations to the leadership at the Performing Art & Culinary Academy (P.A.C.) site of Marion P. Thomas Charter school district to improve the practice of parent collaboration. The problem is the lack of parental engagement at Marion P. Thomas Charter School P.A.C. Academy. The central research question was how parental collaboration could be improved at Marion P. Even though there are multiple challenges connected with parental engagement in education, educators and parents have a positive and harmonious opinion on the importance of involvement.

To address the problem, multimethod data analysis was used. It included interviews, surveys, and document analysis. Thematic analysis and SPSS were used to analyze the data. Thomas Charter School P.A.C. Academy. To achieve this, Marion P. Thomas Charter School P.A.C. Academy stakeholders should initiate a strengthened partnership between the parents and schools; however, they must establish firm structures to sustain it. This initiative can be started by any stakeholder group but sustained by a comprehensive engagement and school leadership commitment. Proper activities to engage communities and parents embrace partnership philosophy.

Finally, Marion P. Thomas Charter School P.A.C. Academy and the parents should embrace technology to facilitate and support their relationship. Both in-person and online channels can enhance clear communication. These may include using social media outlets, school websites, and email distribution systems to keep parents engaged in their children's progress at School.

Table of Contents

Contents

ABSTRACT 3

Table of Contents 4

List of Tables 6

List of Figures 7

List of Abbreviations 8

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 9

Overview 9

Background. 9

The Organizational Profile 15

Problem Statement 15

Purpose Statement 17

Definitions 19

Summary 20

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 22

Overview 22

Theoretical Framework 23

Theory of Planned Behavior 23

Sociocultural Theory 24

The Theory of Street-Level Bureaucracy 24

Related Literature 25

Summary 39

CHAPTER THREE: METHODS AND PROCEDURES…

IMPROVING STUDENTS AND FAMILYS ENGAGEMENT

Recommendations for Improving Parental Collaboration at Marion P Thomas Charter School District Performing Art & Culinary Academy

ABSTRACT

This study offers recommendations to the leadership at the Performing Art & Culinary Academy (P.A.C.) site of Marion P. Thomas Charter school district to improve the practice of parent collaboration. The problem is the lack of parental engagement at Marion P. Thomas Charter School P.A.C. Academy. The central research question was how parental collaboration could be improved at Marion P. Even though there are multiple challenges connected with parental engagement in education, educators and parents have a positive and harmonious opinion on the importance of involvement.

To address the problem, multimethod data analysis was used. It included interviews, surveys, and document analysis. Thematic analysis and SPSS were used to analyze the data. Thomas Charter School P.A.C. Academy. To achieve this, Marion P. Thomas Charter School P.A.C. Academy stakeholders should initiate a strengthened partnership between the parents and schools; however, they must establish firm structures to sustain it. This initiative can be started by any stakeholder group but sustained by a comprehensive engagement and school leadership commitment. Proper activities to engage communities and parents embrace partnership philosophy.

Finally, Marion P. Thomas Charter School P.A.C. Academy and the parents should embrace technology to facilitate and support their relationship. Both in-person and online channels can enhance clear communication. These may include using social media outlets, school websites, and email distribution systems to keep parents engaged in their children's progress at School.

Table of Contents

Contents

ABSTRACT 3

Table of Contents 4

List of Tables 6

List of Figures 7

List of Abbreviations 8

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 9

Overview 9

Background. 9

The Organizational Profile 15

Problem Statement 15

Purpose Statement 17

Definitions 19

Summary 20

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 22

Overview 22

Theoretical Framework 23

Theory of Planned Behavior 23

Sociocultural Theory 24

The Theory of Street-Level Bureaucracy 24

Related Literature 25

Summary 39

CHAPTER THREE: METHODS AND PROCEDURES 41

Overview 41

Research Design 41

Research Questions 42

Setting 42

Participants 43

The researcher's role 44

Procedures 45

Data Collection and Analysis 45

Interviews 45

Interview Questions 46

Survey Procedures 49

Demographic Questions 50

Survey Questions 51

Document Analysis 54

Ethical Considerations 55

Summary 55

CHAPTER FOUR: FINDINGS 57

Overview 57

Findings for Qualitative Interviews 57

Survey Results 60

Document Analysis Results 62

CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSION 63

Overview 63

Restatement of the Problem 63

Proposed Solution to the Central Question 64

Resources Needed 65

Funds Needed 65

Roles and Responsibilities. 65

Solution Implications 65

Evaluation Plan 66

Summary. 66

References 69

APPENDIX or APPENDICES 74

Demographic Questions 74

Survey Questions 74

List of Tables

Table 1. Frequency Codes.58

Table 2. Parent/Guardian Level of Agreement for Each Survey Item. 61

List of Figures

Fig 1. Demographics of qualitative interview participants59

List of Abbreviations

P.C.A. ...Performing Art & Culinary Academy

M.P.T.C.SMarion P. Thomas Charter School

I.E.P Individualized Education Program.

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

Overview

This study provides recommendations to the leadership at the Performing Art & Culinary Academy (P.A.C.) site of Marion P. Thomas Charter school district to improve the practice of parent collaboration. This introduction covers the background of the problem, the organizational profile, problem statement, its importance, and the study's purpose. The primary research question is presented, and this section will also enclose a list of frequently used terms with definitions.

Background

Different situations influence the lives of school children, and sometimes by lack of collaboration between teachers, parents, school counselors, and politicians on how to deal with and prioritize different kinds of challenges that relate to social life within the school. A deliberate involvement of parents can be treated as the answer to such challenges; however, parental involvement can also, in some cases, be criticized for changing the focus of the school's social norms to an individual child's family life (Winthrop et al. 2021). In this paper, we focus on enhancing parental collaboration, providing opportunities for enhancing every child's school life experience, and solving some of these historical problems.

During a debate about the involvement of parents in school affairs, parents are usually seen as parties competing over their performance and professional resources as "good parents." As a result, this opaques parents' shared interests and oncerns founded on their children's daily lives in the everyday learning societies and their contribution to those societies (Hjholt & Kousholt, 2019). In other words, during discussions on parental collaboration, intersubjective links in students learning institutions that can otherwise enable parental focus on common interests of students in the same institution are overlooked.

To establish how parents' collaboration and participation in children's school life are linked, we review the concept of "Social practice." According to social practice perspectives, people who contribute to children's education should be linked to their participation in shared concerns and matters (Hjholt & Kousholt, 2019). For instance, the social practice concept proposes that even though the analysis of parental collaboration may be in terms of regulation, it can also be treated as an opportunity for solidarity in solving school problems.

Subsequently, parental collaboration is interpreted as a societal, multifaceted concern discussed and represented from diverse views, partly due to historical differences. According to Ule, ivoder & du Bois-Reymond (2015), the heightening parental participation entangled the processes of familiarization and institutionalization. In other words, success in school enhances value in students' life course path (institution.......nd their families (familiarization) (Winthrop et al. 2021). For instance, in Denmark, the "Act on increased parental responsibility from 2006" principal aims to strengthen and clarify parental responsibilities and general duties according to their children's school lives and learning (Hjholt & Kousholt, 2019). Another objective is to support vulnerable children by entrusting their parents' responsibility.

Consequently, the historical parental responsibility changes follow the expert advice and rules by defining what it means to be a collaborative and responsible parent. According to recent studies, the boundaries between parents' and schools' responsibilities have changed towards heightened responsibilities of parents. Also, the emphasis on the value of parental upbringing and support of children's achievements and learning has resulted in several interventions that include parents in multiple partnership platforms when students undergo a challenge in school. Further research has confirmed that such interventions of parents' participation contribute a tangible impact on their children's achievement in school.

Besides, earlier research studies focused on explicit or implicit expectations that parents face, and they strive to be regarded as responsible. According to Crozier, Reay, and James (2011), middle-class parents' involvement is key to transmitting and reproducing parents' middle-class privileges to their children, regardless of their intentions. On the other hand, parental collaboration is more linked to fundamental communal conflicts and problems. Such conflicts go beyond the immediate relation between the professionals and parents and cannot be tackled through contracts, courses, or communicative systems alone.

In addition, about education, there is a trend to adopt, for example, dialogue techniques, criteria for training parents how to converse with their children, and written consensus between parents and officials to tackle challenges or clarify expectations relating to contributions of those engaged. In most instances, parents are seen as the problem to be tackled; as a result, school dilemmas might be displaced onto the students' family background.

On the other hand, parental collaboration refers to the general collaboration between all professionals in school and all the parents (Winthrop et al., 2021). However, it is usually confined to debate about intergenerational transmission and social background shortcomings of the parents, with collaboration being performed and understood as a form of compensatory plan to enable parents the lives of their children in school. Such discussion accentuates the dilemma of realizing the links between various (unequal) situations of varying family lives and situated challenges in schools. As a result, parental collaboration relates to a diverse form of thinking and understanding children's success in school as closely associated with the family background and connected with social control, compensative interventions, and social help.

According to Bourdieu Lareau (2019), social class influences the cultural logic of child-rearing, with 'combined cultivation' used by middle-class parents. The child-rearing techniques of the poor or working-class parents become unfortunate for their children as far as their school life is concerned. For example, according to Lareau's findings, parents from families that are working-class do not encourage their children to involve in conversation that encourages negotiation and reasoning and fail to make their children feel special (Hjholt & Kousholt, 2019). Such parents failed to teach the impression that their children's opinions should be developed and cultivated. Furthermore, they failed to monitor and direct their children's leisure activities continuously. Therefore, social class is established to create different styles of parenting indeed. As a result, a close association between students' position in class and the unequal outcomes of their experiences as they socialize with professionals outside the homes.

A critical perspective is established on the connection between inequality and social class concerning the above findings. Inequality relates to various parenting styles and the transmission of class background. Also, the general focus is how parents unwillingly or willingly transfer cultural practices to their children that influence their accomplishments in school (Hjholt & Kousholt, 2019). Lareau further points out that very little is known about the extent to which children copy and utilize their parents' beliefs, hence, urging for a more dynamic method of child-parent interaction. Therefore, subjectivity seems to be associated with appropriation norms and culture, skills, and values (Winthrop et al., 2021). In this approach, the subjectivity concept does not seem essential; however, it appears to be linked to the acquisition of culture and transfer of social class policies. Moreover, the family's culture is exceptionally unambiguously distanced from the school culture. As a result, the school is presumed to be part of the problem; however, it still has a relatively homogeneous culture.

Therefore, parental collaboration could be treated as the answer to such questions as a criterion of organizing interaction and coordination between those engaged, and opening for the transfer of knowledge about students' interplay, situations in school, and parental contribution to the school, other than singling out individuals. Furthermore, parental collaboration can also be treated as a technique to govern parents, worsening school life inequalities.

Conversely, parental collaboration may seem to be a new form of regulation; otherwise, it can also be treated as a sign of understanding that multiple social norms are connected and that collaboration is a social necessity. In addition, Epstein, 2001, 2010, also agrees with the finding that there is a direct association between families and the school in accordance to the success of children in school. Subsequently, the recent shift on criteria of connecting schools with families avails an opportunity to markedly refocus broader approaches and the general vision for more extended collaboration. (Hjholt & Kousholt, 2019) Accordingly, family-school engagement, particularly collaboration between several actors from teachers and school leaders to community members and parents, have a critical role in transforming and improving the education system to achieve: attendance and completion of students, learning and development of students, redefine the purpose of school for students, and to redefine the purpose of school for the society.

Moreover, significant evidence indicates that family-school engagement can robustly enhance how systems serve their students, particularly those poorly served prior. Studies that evaluate school improvement have checked at students' educational results as gauged by completion, an achievement on literacy, attendance, numeracy, and other regularly evaluated competencies. These efforts are classified as system improvement because they enhance how systems deliver education against the founded set of results, rather than refocusing the general vision and purpose of the system (Hjholt & Kousholt, 2019). Consequently, such studies established that it becomes a highly cost-effective investment that boosts students' results when family-school engagement is implemented appropriately.

Schools usually engage parents through consultation and communication before decision making, support for home-based studies, and family opportunities at school. Close to over fifty decades of research has established that parent involvement robustly contributes to better student outcomes. The evidence is positive, convincing, and consistent. Hence, a demonstration of family influence on their children's achievement in learning institutions and through life.

After comparing multiple varying works of literature, Amendt (2019) established that a greater connection between parents and educators takes place in phases along a progression, not a singular occurrence. The initial stage is "informing," indicating a one-way flow of communication from school to parents and students. This approach contradicts the two-way communication model that is meaningful between teachers and parents.

Subsequently, According to Amendt, (2019), the following two stages, 'involving' and 'engaging,' have essential distinctions as involvement indicates an invitation to parents to endorse a plan developed by the staff. In contrast, a plan is created by parents, community members, students, and staff members (together) through engagement. They make decisions and take action together as a team. According to Amendt's (2019) findings, involvement is marred by limited trust, while engagement creates a higher level of trust. Leading occurs when parties have established a policy of engagement with all stakeholders playing good leadership roles to achieve the shared vision. Amendt (2019) interviewed parents and faculty at a school established that both the groups had invested effort to develop a foundation of goodwill and corporation that enabled their relation to build high leveled trust.

The Organizational Profile

The chosen educational site for this study was Marion P. Thomas Charter School (M.P.T.C.S.), Performing Art & Culinary Academy (P.A.C.). This district is public. As per the district website, this district consists of three school locations in the urban areas of Newark, New Jersey. The mission of the district is "By every means necessary; our mission is to be a 21st century Village responsive to the needs of students, parents, staff, and the Newark community-at-large, where scholars become ready for colleges, careers, and life." The districts include P.A.C. (Performing Arts & Culinary) Academy serving Pre-Kindergarten to eighth grade, 578 students are attending. The student population size is approximately 473 students. The P.A.C. Academy demographic includes 89% African- American, 7% Hispanic, 2% Native American, 0.3% Caucasian, 0.7% two or more races. The gender of the students includes 257 males and 216 females. Within P.A.C. Academy, there are 37 teachers with a Student/Teacher Ratio 17:1. For this study, P.A.C. Academy will be the focus of this assignment. The P.A.C. school leadership team consists of the principal, the operational manager, two vice principals, and two deans. P.A.C. Academy Student support consists of two Deans, two Vice principals, a Social Worker, and a Family Liaison.

Problem Statement

The problem is the lack of parental engagement a Marion P. Thomas Charter School P.A.C. Academy. Even though there are multiple challenges connected with parental engagement in education, both the educators and parents have a positive and harmonious opinion on the importance of involvement. Parental engagement is an essential factor in endorsing students' learning and future success. Prior research studies have argued that it is partly due to differences in educators' and parents' role actions. Therefore, to overcome the challenge to parental collaboration, teachers' and parents' beliefs about involvement must be understood by both parties.

Furthermore, According to Stroetinga et al., 2019, "Several studies indicate that the academic success of children benefits from teacher-parent contactBenefits are, among others, demonstrated by improved grades" (Stroetinga et al., 2019, p. 654). However, irrespective of clear parental involvement benefits, several barriers limit parents' capacity to collaborate in their children's education. Schools, parents, and even educators can knowingly or unknowingly create and reinforce these barriers. Notably, one of the common reasons for the failure of parents to be involved is a cultural difference between teachers and parents. Dissimilar values and norms can result in miscommunication, tension, and mistrust. This occurs whenever the school staff fails to create clear guidelines and expectations.

For example, before the Covid-19 pandemic, parents lacked involvement with the student's education. Due to the pandemic, parents were forced to interact with the students and their learning activities while at home. Consequently, studies indicated that students' grades, attendance, and test results improved when parents got involved in their education. Moreover, according to Epstein, 2018, Parents play a significant role in the culture and climate of the school (Epstein, 2018, p. 400).

At Marion P. Thomas Charter School P.A.C. Academy, there is an established student support team consisting of the two Deans of Student, a Social Worker, and a Family Engagement Coordinator that leads on the involvement approach with other stakeholders. However, the students' support team members have been experiencing challenges with their collaborative effort. The challenges include power struggles of staff and families, lack of communication, and lack of collaboration. To address the identified problem, the student support utilizes their resources to increase Parent and Teacher collaboration. The Student Support team hosted family events (both virtual and in-person), completed a rotation of calls, and tried to communicate via electronic communication (calls, messages, emails, and app) and paper communication (letters and flyers) (Johnson, 2019). Nevertheless, the problem is still present, and this study will provide recommendations to improve parental collaboration.

Purpose State