The authors sought to understand the types of parent involvement that teachers, parents, and students believe affect the academic achievement of adolescent learners at the high school level. Research that included focus groups, interviews, and surveys indicated that teachers and students believed that parent involvement at school was considered less important to a child’s academic achievement than parent involvement in academics at home. In addition, parents rated themselves as more participatory in academics than did their children or high school teachers.

At the heart of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 is a promise to strengthen America’s education system and raise the academic achievement of all students. Well-trained teachers can provide effective instruction so that students perform at their highest academic potential and that “no child is left of their behind.”

The law recognizes that parents are their children’s first and most important teachers, and for students to succeed in school, parents must participate actively in their children’s academic lives. Parents need to become involved early and stay involved throughout the school years.