Researchers and policy leaders agree that we always must strive to improve the methods used to study the effects of family involvement on student outcomes. In an effort to strengthen the quality of research on the effects of school, family, and community partnership programs on student outcomes, NNPS conducted a study that investigated whether or not schools working on partnerships have students who perform better on standardized tests and attend school more regularly than schools that are not working on partnerships.
Sixty-nine NNPS elementary schools in Ohio were compared to a matched sample of 69 Ohio schools that were not NNPS members. Using data from UPDATE and the Ohio Department of Education's Web site, the NNPS and comparison schools were matched according to school size in 2001, the percentage of 4th graders proficient in reading and math in 2000, and student attendance in 2000.
Overall, NNPS schools were similar to schools in the comparison group. Compared to the matched group of 69 Ohio elementary schools, NNPS schools had slightly lower rates of daily attendance in 2000 (94.64% vs. 95.28%) and slightly lower percentages of school funds spent on pupil support staff such as nurses, librarians, and counselors (8.87% vs. 10.93%).
After controlling for prior achievement and the percentage of funds allocated for pupil support, analyses showed that, in 2001, students in NNPS schools scored at the same level as schools in the comparison group on reading, math, and science achievement tests. After controlling for prior attendance and pupil support, NNPS schools improved their rates of attendance significantly more than did schools in the comparison group.
Further investigation identified program characteristics most likely to lead to improved student attendance. Controlling for prior attendance, school size, and whether or not the school received Title I funding, analyses showed that schools with higher quality partnership programs were more likely to experience improved student attendance from one year to the next. Analyses also showed that the more schools worked to meet challenges of family involvement the more likely they were to experience improved student attendance.
This study shows that school efforts to organize school, family, and community partnerships can affect student attendance in elementary schools. The impact on attendance is important, because previous research shows that high rates of absenteeism in elementary school increase the risk that a student will drop out of high school. The study also is important because it shows that effective partnership programs need to address the challenges of family and community involvement. To help students succeed, effective partnership programs provide information to families who cannot attend meetings, communicate in languages that all family members can understand, help families work with their children on schoolwork, and strengthen ties to community organizations and resources for students.
Sheldon, S.B. (2004). Testing the Effects of School, Family, and Community Partnership Programs on Student Outcomes. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association in San Francisco, CA.