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School-based parent involvement is associated with child academic outcomes, positive behaviors and social skills. Research on school-based parent involvement among low-income mothers receiving government housing assistance is limited. This study examined the associations between mothers who receive housing assistance and school-based parent involvement when their child was 9-years-old. It further explored whether there was a difference in parent involvement for mothers who receive a government housing subsidy and those residing in a housing project. Potential barriers to their involvement are discussed.
Methods:
The Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study followed a cohort of new parents and their children collecting data on approximately 4700 births in 75 hospitals in 20 cities across the U.S. Follow-up interviews were conducted with mothers and fathers when their child was one (Year 1), three (Year 3), five (Year 5), and 9-years-old (Year 9). Using data from wave five (N =1,351) the current study employed multivariate ordinal logistic regression analyses to examine the above associations.
Results:
Results indicate there is a significant association between receiving a government-housing subsidy and four of the six opportunities for parental involvement. Mothers who received a housing subsidy were less likely to attend an open house or curriculum night (OR = .73, p < .01), attend a PTA/PTO meeting (OR = .79, p < .05), attend a parent teacher conference (OR = .73, p < .05), and volunteer at their child’ school (OR = .72, p < .05). Mothers residing in a housing project had a greater likelihood of attending a parent-teacher conference (OR = 1.49, p < .05). Furthermore mothers experienced barriers to their involvement as those who moved more frequently were significantly less likely to attend a school or class event in which their child participated in (OR = .90, p < .01), attend a PTA/PTO meeting (OR = .92, p < .05), visit their child’s classroom (OR = .91, p < .05), and volunteer at their child’s school (OR = .90, p < .05).
Conclusions and Implications:
Study findings suggest there are differences in parent involvement for mothers who receive a government housing subsidy and those residing in a housing project. In theory, receiving a housing subsidy versus living in public housing provides families the opportunity to have some choice in the neighborhood and school district they reside in. Presumably, these parents are more satisfied with their child’s school and may be more likely to be involved in their school activities. However, our findings reveal mothers with a housing subsidy were less likely to be engaged in four of the six opportunities for parental involvement, while mothers who lived in public housing were more likely to be involved in school-based activities. Consequently, mothers who rely on housing subsidies may experience increased mobility due to their dissatisfaction with the neighborhood, changes in employment, and family size contributing to their lack of involvement. As policies move toward deconcentrating poverty, by way of housing subsidies, the role of housing mobility and barriers on school-based parent involvement should be explored.