Beverly Copper-butler

Parental Participation in Education: Experiences and Attitudes of African American Mothers That Effect Parental Involvement Beverly Copper-butler

Parent involvement is an important factor in determining academic and social success, particularly for minority students. Yet, it is minority parents who participate the least in home- school activities. Because of the benefits that minority children, parents, and community can gain from parents¿ involvement in school, it is important that educators understand and respond to the needs of parents. This study sought to gain insight into the perspectives of a group of women who are rarely represented in the scholarly literature. It sought to discover the essence of the experiences and attitudes that influence minority parents¿ attitudes about school, barriers that keep them from full participation in their children¿s education, and how schools and teachers can help parents become more involved in school. This study provides a good example of how minority mothers in urban public schools can and do care about their children¿s education. It should be of interest to educators seeking a deeper understanding of minority mothers and their desire for quality education for their children.