Middle school parent involvement: Perceptions of teachers and parents

Abstract This article aims to explore the parent involvement perceptions of teachers and parents of middle school students. The study is grounded in Epstein et al.’s theory of overlapping spheres of influence and six typologies of parent involvement. Qualitative data were collected through short-response surveys at three different middle school sites to determine both teacher and parent perceptions of parent involvement. Findings show that parents and teachers have similar opinions regarding some typologies of parent involvement and differing opinions with others. Parent and teacher perceptions of parent involvement align when asked about communication, volunteering, and parenting. Parent and teacher perceptions of parent involvement are different when asked about their opinions regarding the learning at home, decision-making, and collaboration with community typologies. Recommendations for practice are reported.