Article: Parent/Caregiver Social Networks are Important to Student Success

Did you know that research has been done showing that families are more involved in their children’s education at home and at school if they have a strong social network of other families? We can learn so much from one another – our friends are important for our children’s success in school.

Dr. Steven Sheldon, researcher at Johns Hopkins University, conducted a study called, “Parents’ Social Networks and Beliefs as Predictors of Parent Involvement” in 2002.

“This study explored the relationship between parents’ social networks and the level of involvement they reported in their children’s education. Data analyses answered the following research question: Do parents’ social networks predict parent involvement, controlling for parental beliefs?”

The results? “…parents with more ties to other adults reported higher levels of involvement at home.”

We know that all parents/caregivers, regardless of their income or education level, can support their child’s education. Importantly, this study found that, “…parents’ education [level] did not significantly predict parent involvement at home or at school.”

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