Does parental involvement matter in children's performance? A Latin American primary school study // ¿La implicación de las familias influye en el rendimiento? Un estudio en educación primaria en América Latina

Abstract

This study explores the relationship between parental involvement in school activities and primary school students’ performance in reading and math in Latin America. We applied four-level multilevel analysis to data from the Second Regional Comparative and Explanatory Study (LLECE/UNESCO, 2012). The sample encompassed 3,000 schools and approximately 180,000 3^rd and 6^th grade students from 15 Latin American countries. The analysis found that parental involvement in the school and the educational process has a direct effect on students’ academic achievement. Third-grade students who received parental help with homework achieved higher academic scores in both subjects; there was an LLECE/UNESCO, even greater difference when the mother provided this help. When parents attended meetings with the principal and teachers, as well as participated in extracurricular activities, there was a noticeable effect on students’ performance in both subjects.