Parental Involvement (and Uninvolvement) at an Inner-City High School

This study sought to understand the perceptions of parental involvement and parental uninvolvement at a predominantly African American inner-city high school. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 15 parents and 10 staff at an inner-city public high school. Five major themes emerged regarding the meanings of parental involvement at this school: Participation at School, Being There Outside of School, Communication, Achieve and Believe, and Village Keepers. Results showed that some participants' perceptions of parental involvement were consistent with earlier understandings of parental involvement. Results also highlighted areas in which earlier models may not address the context of inner-city schools.