Abstract
The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the existing level of parental
involvement in education and the perceived barriers and facilitators to parental
involvement in a sample population of parents and educators of African American and
Hispanic middle school students at public middle schools in Colorado. The aim of the
study was to use the results to develop a parental involvement awareness and
communication workshop for parents and educators that can subsequently be put into
practice in one or more middle schools. The study used a qualitative methodology and
empirical phenomenological research design, gathering data through in-depth interviews
with a sample population (n = 15) of parents (n = 9) and educators (n = 6) of African
American and Hispanic middle school students. Major themes identified from analysis of
the interview data included different views on the meaning of parental involvement;
parent and educator perspectives on parental involvement roles; perceptions and
expressions of racial and/or ethnic bias; immigrants and immigration policy; and barriers
to parental involvement. The most important barriers to parental involvement identified
were: 1) lack of time due to work and other obligations; and 2) poor communication
between parents and educators. It was recommended that educational leaders head a
parent-educator workshop/quality improvement program on improving communications
and encouraging increased parental involvement.
Keywords: Parental involvement, parental engagement, educational outcomes, African-
Americans, Hispanic-Americans, middle-school students