Parental Involvement at a Miami-Dade High School

School Profile and Demographics

Alonzo & Tracy Mourning Senior High, Biscayne Bay Campus, is part of the Miami-Dade County Public School system and enrolls over 1,500 students in grades 9 through 12. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (2018), the demographic breakdown of the student body is 831 Hispanic, 415 White, 292 Black, 20 Asian, and 7 identifying as "two or more races." The school serves a suburban region of Miami-Dade County. Of the 1,565 students, 862 are eligible for free lunches and 105 for reduced-price lunches, indicating that more than half the students come from families requiring some degree of financial assistance.

Since it opened in 2009, Alonzo & Tracy Mourning Senior High has performed consistently well on national achievement measures, receiving an "A" school ranking from 2012 to 2016, an honor from The Washington Post for being "America's Most Challenging High School," and a citation as one of the nation's best high schools by U.S. News & World Report (Alonzo & Tracy Mourning Senior High Biscayne Bay Campus, 2018). The school's graduation rate stands at 92%.

Official Parental Involvement Policies and Programs

The school's website includes a dedicated section for parents featuring a parent portal connected to the Miami-Dade County Public School system. This indicates that Alonzo & Tracy Mourning's administration is committed to actively facilitating and sustaining parental involvement. The school also offers ample opportunities for parents to volunteer at school events, subscribe to newsletters and other communications, and participate in parent-teacher associations.

Interview Findings

Interviews with one student, one parent, and one teacher reveal how well the school is living up to its commitment to parental involvement. The interviews also provide insight into perceptions of how effective parental involvement is in general, and which types of involvement work best for specific students depending on variables such as prior academic achievement and demographic background. Interview questions covered a wide range of topics, including how much each individual values parental involvement in the academic environment, which types of involvement are viewed as more or less effective for promoting academic and psychological outcomes, and what the school can do better to improve its interface with parents and students.

The specific questions asked were:

1. How much do you value parental involvement in a child's education?
2. What role does parental involvement play in a child's academic achievement?
3. Why do you believe parental involvement is important, if at all?
4. What types of parental involvement do you believe are the most important or effective in promoting academic achievement outcomes? What about psychological or social outcomes?
5. What can the school do better to improve parental involvement?

The student said she appreciates almost all forms of parental involvement in her education, from reminders about homework and important exams to parental participation in school activities. When asked whether parental involvement had been integral to her academic success, she immediately responded yes, saying she needed the discipline. She explained that she is accustomed to parental pressure to achieve because her parents have been heavily involved in her education from a young age. She also noted that most of her peers' parents tend to be involved as well. This normative quality of parental involvement meant that she did not feel embarrassed or annoyed by it; instead, she came to expect it.

The student also pointed out that her parents strongly encouraged her participation in several extracurricular activities she would not have pursued on her own. She said those activities were not enjoyable at first and that she would have quit had her parents not urged her to stay, but that remaining in those groups ultimately helped her gain admission to strong colleges. Regarding direct involvement with the school, she noted that her parent had been a PTA member a few years earlier but, due to increased work demands, does not come to school as often as before.

The parent interviewed for this report regards involvement in her child's academic environment as a fundamental parental responsibility. She argued that even busy parents can find time to meet with a teacher once a month or as often as possible, and to ask about their children's work, interests, and needs. With three children enrolled at Alonzo & Tracy Mourning, this parent is involved with the school in several ways. One of her children plays sports, and she attends as many games as possible and volunteers when the team needs extra support. She has also participated in school fundraisers, noting that fundraisers matter not only for the money they generate but even more for the community-building they foster — during these events, parents network with one another and with local business owners.

The parent said she also plays an active role in monitoring her children's grades and academic performance, making sure they receive additional support in subjects where they struggle. When asked whether her involvement promotes her children's academic achievement, she answered yes, while adding that ultimately it is up to each child to work hard and develop their strengths. She noted, however, that children can become easily distracted without coaching and supervision, and that it is rare to find students so self-motivated that they require no parental support. She also observed that parental involvement works best when other parents in the community are equally supportive. Most teachers, she said, have been open and receptive to frequent meetings and emails, though she has occasionally encountered teachers who seemed annoyed by what she called "activist" parents.

The teacher interviewed strongly advocates for parental involvement and expressed surprise at how few parents take an active role in their child's education. She acknowledged that some parents can be somewhat overbearing, but argued that most simply want to stay informed about their children's education and ensure they have everything they need to succeed. Occasionally, parents feel their children are entitled to high grades and complain when results are less than perfect, but the teacher noted this is uncommon. She said she would rather deal with a parent concerned about a B than one who is unconcerned about a D.

The teacher also highlighted several missed opportunities for parental engagement, including attending teacher meetings, visiting open houses, using the online parent portal, and joining the PTA. Participation in fundraising events, sporting events, and extracurricular clubs represents another avenue for involvement. Some parents become regular guest speakers at the school or arrange for students to visit their places of employment. Many parents are also registered with the school's internship program, through which students can earn course credit for work experience. The teacher noted that the previous school where she worked offered far fewer opportunities for parental involvement, and that Alonzo & Tracy Mourning is doing an excellent job of welcoming parental communication and input.

References

Alonzo & Tracy Mourning Senior High Biscayne Bay Campus. (2018). Alonzo & Tracy Mourning Senior High Biscayne Bay Campus. http://atmourningsharks.org/

Benner, A. D., Boyle, A. E., & Sadler, S. (2016). Parental involvement and adolescents' educational success. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 45(6), 1053–1064.

Garcia, L. E., & Thornton, O. (2014). The enduring importance of parental involvement. NEA Today.

National Center for Education Statistics. (2018). Search for public schools. https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=1200390&ID=120039007635

Niehaus, K., Adelson, J. L., Niehaus, K., et al. (2014). School support, parental involvement, and academic and social-emotional outcomes for English language learners. American Educational Research Journal, 51(4), 810–844.