Supporting Parent Engagement in Children’s Learning through Neighborhood Development and Improvements to Accessibility

Abstract

External influences explain two-thirds of the income-based student “achievement gap” with parent engagement being especially important. Yet, public school improvements focus on within-school reforms, downplaying community conditions that challenge engagement. This study of seventy diverse parents in Oakland, California, utilized interviews, time-use diaries, neighborhood data, and participant observation to understand how a combination of personal characteristics, household resources, community amenities, housing stability, and accessibility affected parents’ abilities to engage in their children’s learning. Findings suggest planning can contribute to student achievement through investments and coordination that bolster parents’ time, energy, and resources for educational engagement in their homes, schools, and communities.