Promoting Parental Involvement in Schools: Evidence from Two Randomized Experiments

55 Pages Posted: 2 Nov 2020 Last revised: 12 Feb 2023

See all articles by Felipe Barrera-Osorio

Felipe Barrera-Osorio

Harvard University - Harvard Graduate School of Education

Paul J. Gertler

University of California, Berkeley - Haas School of Business; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Nozomi Nakajima

Harvard University - Harvard Graduate School of Education

Harry A. Patrinos

World Bank

Date Written: October 2020

Abstract

Parental involvement programs aim to increase school-and-parent communication and support children’s overall learning environment. This paper examines the effects of low-cost, group-based parental involvement interventions in Mexico using data from two randomized controlled trials. The first experiment provided financial resources to parent associations. The second experiment provided information to parents about how to support their children’s learning. Overall, the interventions induced different types of parental engagement in schools. The information intervention changed parenting behavior at home – with large effects among indigenous parents who have historically been discriminated and socially excluded – and improved student behavior in school. The grants did not impact parent or student behaviors. Notably, we do not find impacts of either intervention on educational achievement. To understand these null effects, we explore how social ties between parents and teachers evolved over the course of the two interventions. Parental involvement interventions led to significant changes in perceived trustworthiness between teachers and parents. The results suggest that parental involvement interventions can backfire if institutional rules are unclear about the expectations of parents and teachers as parents increase their involvement in schools.

Suggested Citation

Barrera-Osorio, Felipe and Gertler, Paul J. and Nakajima, Nozomi and Patrinos, Harry Anthony, Promoting Parental Involvement in Schools: Evidence from Two Randomized Experiments (October 2020). NBER Working Paper No. w28040, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3723277

Felipe Barrera-Osorio (Contact Author)

Harvard University - Harvard Graduate School of Education ( email )

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Paul J. Gertler

University of California, Berkeley - Haas School of Business ( email )

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National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

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Nozomi Nakajima

Harvard University - Harvard Graduate School of Education ( email )

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Harry Anthony Patrinos

World Bank ( email )

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Washington, DC 20433
United States

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