Teachers' Attitudes and Behaviors Towards Family-School Partnerships

Abstract

Although a considerable body of literature supports the benefits of ongoing family-school partnerships, some research indi cates that such partnerships tend to decline as children progress from the lower through middle school grade levels. It remains unknown, however, whether this trend continues through upper grade levels. This study clarifies the relationships between schools and families across lower, middle and upper grades by contrasting the responses of over 400 teachers to a survey regarding their attitudes towards, involvement in, and perceptions of partnership practices at their schools. Results indicated that while teachers value family involvement in schools, middle and upper grade level teachers used fewer strategies to help families become or stay involved in their child's schooling than do lower grade level teachers. Additionally, upper grade level teachers report less involvement in family-school collaborations than did middle grade level teachers. The results are discussed within the framework of a causal model (Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler, 1995), and implications for school psychology practice and further research are presented.