There are many benefits for students, their families and schools, when parents are involved in their children's lives and education. A comprehensive survey of research on parent involvement can be found in publications by Anne Henderson and Nancy Berla: The Evidence Grows (1981); The Evidence Continues to Grow (1987); and A new Generation of Evidence: The Family is Critical to Student Achievement (1995).

How Students Benefit

Students whose parents are involved in their education:

- achieve more, regardless of socio-economic status, ethnic/racial background, or their parents' education level;

- have higher grades and better attendance, and complete homework more consistently;

- exhibit more positive attitudes and behaviour;

- have a higher graduation rate and enrolment rate in post-secondary education;

- achieve long-lasting gains when activities involving parents are well-planned, inclusive and comprehensive;

- gain at every level, every stage of their education;

- are better regarded by educators, who also hold their parents in high esteem, if these parents collaborate with teachers;

- make the greatest gains (with reference to those furthest behind);

- are able to bridge the cultural gap between home and school;

- are less anti-social and less prone to violence and alcohol abuse;

- are more likely to succeed in their academic pursuits and develop a working relationship with their teachers, or keep up with what is happening in their school; and

- are more effective in making that transition to a higher level of education, in maintaining the quality of their work, and developing realistic plans for their future. On the other hand, students whose parents are not involved are more likely to drop out of school.

In conclusion, research has shown that the most accurate predictor of a student's achievement in school is not income or social status, but the extent to which the student's parents are able to:

	create a home environment that encourages learning;
	communicate high, yet reasonable, expectations of their child's achievement and future career; and
	become involved in their child's education at school and in the community.