Parents’ School Involvement in Kindergarten Predicting Child Outcomes at First Grade and Third Grade

Abstract:Using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010–11 (ECLS-K:2011; N = 18,170), the present study aimed to identify latent classes of parents’ school involvement in kindergarten and whether the latent classes of parents’ school involvement would be differentially related to children’s academic achievement and social-emotional behavioral outcomes at first grade and third grade. Latent class analysis showed three classes: School Involvement, Low Involvement, and School Contact. Parents classified as School Involvement had higher probabilities in attending school events, such as back-to-school nights and parent–teacher conferences, but not school governance. Parents classified as Low Involvement had lower probabilities in all the indicators of school involvement. Parents classified as School Contact had higher probabilities in being contacted by teachers regarding their children’s behaviors and school performance. Few significant differences in child outcomes across the three classes persisted throughout first grade and third grade. Future research and implications are discussed.