Parents’ Perception of Early Childhood Parental Involvement in Low-Socioeconomic Communities
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Authors
Morrison-Haynes, Karese
Issue Date
2025-11
Type
Dissertation
Language
en
Keywords
Early Childhood , Parental Involvement , Low-Socioeconomic Communities , Educational Leadership & Learning Lifelong
Alternative Title
Abstract
Early childhood parent involvement sets the pace for academic achievement in later years of schooling and may help remedy underperformance in low-income communities. The study addressed the problem of early childhood parent involvement among parents from low-income communities, which is lacking. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of early childhood parental involvement among parents residing in low-income communities. Ecological systems theory, developed by Urie Bronfenbrenner, and Epstein’s model of parental involvement were utilized as the theoretical foundation for this study. Twenty-four parents of children in preschool through third grade from low-income neighborhoods in the United States were recruited using a combination of convenience and snowball sampling via social media postings. Semi-structured interviews served as the data source. Braun and Clarke’s inductive thematic analysis phases revealed three central themes: Parents viewed involvement as extending beyond participation in the school setting, they encountered structural and contextual barriers, which included financial hardship, time constraints, and inconsistent communication from schools, and despite obstacles, parents demonstrated resilience and employed various strategies to stay engaged in their children’s education. The findings highlighted the need for schools and community organizations to implement inclusive, culturally responsive, and flexible approaches to parent involvement that acknowledge and reflect the distinct lived realities of low-income parents. This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on parent involvement by amplifying the voices of parents who are often underrepresented in research and practice, and provides educators, policymakers, and communities with valuable insights on how to better partner with families in underserved communities.