By. Ronald Hernandez Jr.
May 31st, 2026
Recent data suggests that several pressures, including the declining level of parent engagement are contributing to the challenges in the U.S. education system. A survey done by Study.com shows that 46% of teachers say lack of family prioritization of academics is the primary cause of learning gaps. If that is not enough cause for concern, another report done by National Literacy Trust displays that fewer than half (45.9%) of parents said they read with their child daily, falling by 9.1% since 2024 and 30.6% since 2019.
The reason for the disconnect between parents and their children’s education could be attributed to many things, including the fact that adults are busy prioritizing organization and governance, such as financing their child’s education. This burden alone can feel overwhelming, especially in low-income households, where it often leads to time constraints, work stress, limited access to educational resources and many other obstacles.
Do Parents Have an Effect on Their Children’s Education?
According to research put towards the subject, the answer is yes, parents directly have an effect on their children’s education. For example, The Annie E. Casey Foundation revealed that “students whose parents stay involved in school have better attendance and behavior, get better grades, demonstrate better social skills and adapt better to school.”
Furthermore, findings from a study done by the National Library of Medicine demonstrated that increased parent involvement is significantly related to a child’s increased perception of cognitive competence.
The Negative Effects of Parental Guidance in Education
There are myths that have been used to state that parenting involvement may somehow harm their child’s education. For instance, some argue that teachers are the experts so parents should let them worry about the education. Another example would be that parent involvement in school experiences and increasing student achievement depends on income, education level, and employment status.
Most of the myths have been debunked do to extensive statistical data, some of which was done by The National Institute for Direct Instruction, which decided to test parental involvement and concluded that, “The results of this research underscore the critical role of parental involvement in their children’s education, suggesting that it may significantly influence the development of self-regulation skills in children.” Another analysis explains that children who experience higher levels of non-school-related parental involvement have a greater probability of graduating from high school.
How Can You Get Involved As a Parent?
Here are some tips provided by the California State PTA group.
- Set up a daily family routine, including healthy eating and sleeping habits
- Provide a place and time at home for homework
- Check on assignments, homework and projects
- Talk each day with your child about his/her activities
- Promote literacy by reading to your child and by reading yourself
- Limit and monitor TV watching, gaming, social media and computer time
- Express high expectations and standards for your child’s learning
- Attend parent-teacher conferences, Open House and Back-To-School events
- Participate in decisions that affect your child’s education
- Tap into community resources with visits to a library, museum, zoo or theater and encourage participation in after-school clubs, sports and art activities.
There are also helpful links on the U.S. Department of Education website.
The Ark 