We are all concerned about the state of education. From declining test scores and underfunding, to high school dropout and illiteracy rates, it can sometimes seem as if the nation is on the brink of an educational crisis. If our children do poorly, we often lay blame on teachers, educators, and leaders. If our children do well, we often complaisantly breath a sigh of relief that at least our school, our community, and our teacher, has somehow escaped the quagmire of incompetence.

Whether our child’s academic performance is poor or exceptional, as parents we must turn to ourselves to shoulder both some of the blame or the credit. While we are often powerless to afford any immediate changes to the funding or facilities, we do control our homes and our hearts. With a mind towards active parental involvement in our child’s education, we can make a difference. A review of over sixty studies (Henderson (1:23-152) examining parent involvement and student achievement concluded that when parents are involved in their child’s education at home they do better in school. When parents are involved at school, their children attend school longer, and the schools they go to are better.

Involvement in your child’s education can mean:

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