The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of student led conferences on minority student achievement. The study focuses on the social problem of student achievement and understanding how parental involvement influences minority student achievement. It is important for parents, as well as school districts, to understand the role of parents and the districts in the success of students. The foundation of the study is based on the theoretical frameworks of parental involvement and minority student achievement from Ogbu and Cross. The key research questions will focus on what parental involvement strategies are being implemented in middle schools. .
Data for this longitudinal mixed method study was gathered through three years of parental involvement data in student-led conferences which includes the percentage of parents/guardians who participated in their student-led conference each year. Parent and teacher survey responses for each participating parent/guardian will be included. .
Individual transcribed interviews will be the final phase of the data gathering process with minority student parents who have attended student-led conferences. .
All data will help identify how student-led conferences and parental involvement strategies are currently being implemented to promote parental involvement in the school and the impact these strategies have on minority student achievement. Teachers and parents at the middle school level will be surveyed and interviewed in one rural district. This data will measure the parent and teacher perceptions of student-led conferences and the impact the conferences have on student achievement. The data will measure the influences student-led conference has student achievement on the Missouri Assessment Program test. The societal benefits of minority student achievement are a positive on the workforce; and improve social- economic consequences for communities.