A phenomenological study of parental involvement and the role it plays in student behavior and achievement in grades 9-12

ABSTRACT

The discussion surrounding parental involvement and how much of a role it plays in the lives of young students is nothing new to education. Parents are indeed the student's first teachers;therefore, it is important that they continue that role as the students grow and develop in the ongoing years. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the parents' perceptions regarding parental involvement and its connection to student achievement and behavior in high school since the COVID-19 pandemic. Using snowball sampling, I recruited 11 participants to answer a questionnaire. There were six themes created to answer each of the research questions. Research question one consisted of four themes Involvement before the COVID-19 pandemic was evident, parental involvement increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, challenges did not deter involvement, and since the COVID-19 pandemic, student academic progress has improved. Research Question 2 consisted of two themes The behavior of the student changed since the COVID-19 pandemic, and the COVID-19 pandemic positively affected the level of involvement. The study's findings indicated that parents were forced to be more involved since the COVID-19 pandemic. A recommendation for future research is to conduct a quantitative study using parents, teachers, and specific school districts. The recommendation for practice is that the parents maintain positive engagement with students and build better school-related relationships. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)