Annotated Bibliography

Braley, R., Cavazos, J., & Slate, J. (2008). Parental involvement and perceived at-risk student
performance: Views from predominantly Hispanic parents. International Journal of
Educational Leadership Preparation, 4(1). Retrieved from http://web.a.ebscohost.com.
sierranev.idm.oclc.org/ehost
Braley, Cavazos, and Slate (2008) researched the achievement of students in relationship
to parent involvement. The purpose of this empirical study, that spanned the 20062007 school
year, was to determine how parent involvement influenced achievement in school and why
at-risk students did not successfully completed high school. The research design was a 26-item
instrument Parent Involvement survey. This survey measured the level of parent involvement
based on how parents viewed the impacts of involvement to the success of their at-risk students.
The research questions examined the following: (a) What is the relationship between parental
involvement and perceptions of their students achievement, (b) what is the relationship
between parental involvement and perceptions of their students attendance, (c) what is the
relationship between parental involvement and perceptions of high school completion, and (d)
in what ways do Hispanic parents of children labeled as being at-risk perceive that schools can
increase their level of parental involvement (Braley, Cavazos, & Slate, 2008, p. 6).
Braley, Cavazos, and Slate (2008) studied 229 public school students who were classified
and met state qualifications as being at-risk students. All of the students selected were chosen
from schools in the Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District in the Rio Grande
Valley of Texas. The process used to select at-risk students in all grade groups was to survey
100 students from each of the three grade levels: (a) elementary, (b) middle, and (c) high school.

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The students were randomly selected. Parents took a survey to identify their level of
involvement.
The results of this study showed that the highest parent participation occurred in middle
school with parents often asking about their childs grades. Spanish speaking parents expressed
the need for Spanish translators, which would increase the likelihood of parental involvement.
Based on survey answers, middle school parents are in agreement that increased parental
involvement bolsters student achievement. Parents indicated that they encourage children to
attend school to benefit from activities and programs offered by the school. Additionally, the
study indicates that parents value the completion of high school and feel that it is important for
future success. Parents were most interested in the variety of options and possibilities available
for involvement.
This research is important to educators and administrators because it shows that parents
value the education and success of their child, and it explains what parents identify as important
involvement. Knowing this information can help schools to best provide involvement activities
to parents that will be the most successful for at-risk families.

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Ferlazzo, L. (2011). Involvement or engagement. Educational Leadership, 66(8), 10-14.

Retrieved from http://web.a.ebscohost.com.sierranev.idm.oclc.org/ehost
The theoretical article by Ferlazzo (2011) identified the difference between parent
involvement and parent engagement. Based on research, Ferlazzo (2011) identified that
engagement entails relationships based on listening, welcoming, and shared decision making.
The definition of engagement is described as doing with (Ferlazzo, 2011, p. 12). This means
that parents need to become partners working together with schools. Ferlazzo (2011) explained
that parent involvement is often a one-way communication of schools telling parents what to do.
This definition of involvement is described as doing to (Ferlazzo, 2011, p. 12). Ferlazzo
(2011) outlined several questions for schools to ask about their engagement programs to assess
what they are doing: (a) Does your school tend toward doing to or doing with families,
(b) does the staff do more talking or more listening, (c) is the emphasis on one-way
communication or on two-way communication, and (d) is your schools vision of its
community confined to the school grounds, or does this vision encompass the entire
neighborhood (Ferlazzo, 2011, p. 14).
The article explains the need for teachers to partner with parents and build relationships.
Ferlazzo (2011) discussed a program at Luther Burbank High School in Sacramento, California,
where school staff conducted home visits with the families of all the incoming freshmen. The
primary goal of these visits was to listen to the parents and gain insight on their experiences
raising their children. The importance of the home visit program was to address and respond to
parents concerns and connect to move toward broader action (Ferlazzo, 2011, p. 12). This
resulted in parents and school personnel working together to solve problems and bring

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meaningful parent engagement programs into the school. Ferlazzo (2011) also discussed the
negative impacts of offering parent incentives, such as money, for participation in schools.
The article suggested that when schools and parents join together and solve problems
collectively, parents, students, and schools benefit from parent engagement. Ferlazzo (2011)
explained that parent involvement and parent engagement are not the same, but that combining
both is necessary for student success. This is important for educators to understand what actions
they are engaging in with families. It is important to collaborate with parents and families, and
work together for the benefit of students, families, and schools.

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Ferrara, M. (2011). Phrase versus phase: Family engagement. Clearing House: A Journal
of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas, 84(5), 180-183. Retrieved from
http://web.b.ebscohost.com.sierranev.idm.oclc.org/ehost
Ferrara (2011) researched the difference of parent/family involvement and family
engagement and how or if schools changed the implementation with the phrase change. The
purpose of this empirical study was to determine how schools defined parent involvement and if
they made changes to their program descriptions after a family engagement seminar (Ferrara,
2011). The research design was qualitative with the objective to determine if schools were
implementing change in the family engagement mission statements and programs after learning
the difference between parent involvement and family engagement. The research question that
guided the study was as follows: Is family engagement simply a new phrase or is it a synonym
for family involvement (Ferrara, 2011, p. 181).
The study was conducted in a midsized western school district. The parents were 90
school-site administrators across elementary, middle, and high school. Participants were
required to attend a one-day seminar on family engagement. At the end of the seminar, the
participants were asked to review their original definitions of family engagement to determine if
changes, additions, or revisions would be appropriate (Ferrara, 2011, p. 181).
The results of this study showed that administrators used the term engagement as an
inclusion in their school jargon, not a change in implementation and point of view. The study
made it clear that school administration and teachers require more training to fully understand
what family engagement is and how to implement it properly. According to Ferrara (2011),
administrators and teachers are not reaching out to families fairly. The administrators
comments exhibited that the voice of the parents was unnecessary (Ferrara, 2011).

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The research also resulted in a list of steps or points to guide the change process in family
engagement. The process was broken into two sections: (a) overall school analysis and (b)
communication. These steps provide a framework for change and deeper understanding.
This research is important to educators and administrators because it shows that
administrators and teachers need more help in understanding what parent engagement means.
Schools need help implementing inclusive parent engagement opportunities. The process of
change framework is important because it provides a solid guide to help administrators and
teachers examine current programs to make beneficial changes.

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Ferrara, M. (2015). Parent involvement facilitators: Unlocking social capital wealth. School
Community Journal, 25(1), 29-52. Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com.
sierranev.idm.oclc.org/ehost
Ferrara (2015) researched the role that Parent Involvement Facilitators (PIFs) play in
family outreach and intervention to promote retention. The purpose of this empirical study that
spanned three years was to understand how the role of PIFs helped families and created positive
connections linked to student success. The research design was qualitative and based on three
data points: (a) broad analysis of data collected through PIF tracking tab to identify the
frequency and nature of PIF contact with parents, (b) discussion sessions with PIFs to understand
what strategies were being used to engage families, and (c) PIF reflective writings on what they
learned about themselves and the process of working with students and their families (Ferrara,
2015, p. 34-35). The objective was to understand the PIF program and review the elements of
social wealth (Ferrara, 2015). The intent was to understand the relationship of the PIFs and
families and how they collaborated to support students and increase attendance so students
would graduate (Ferrara, 2015).
The study was conducted in a large school district in the western United States (Ferrara,
2015). Ninth-grade students from 12 schools who were labeled at risk were tracked in this
study. The students had to meet three of the four criteria that categorized them as at risk. The
guiding questions for the study were as follows: (a) What are essential dispositions and
necessary behaviors that are important in a PIF, (b) what effective strategies serve as
collaborative interventions for the PIFs and families to use to help students to stay in school, (c)
using the theory of social capital, what has been learned to date about this program that can be
shared with others who want to use this intervention, and (d) what are other unintended

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outcomes that have made a difference in using this intervention (Ferrara, 2015, p. 32-33). All
of the data were tracked and coded three times per year.
The results of this study showed that the PIF program was important and contributed to
positive gains in student graduation rates. The most successful PIFs were those who
communicated and showed empathy for families. These PIFs expressed their abilities to be
persistent, building trust with families, supporting families, being respectful, and being a
resource for families (Ferrara, 2015). One of the challenges that the schools faced in retaining a
PIF was the low paying wages for the job. Important results from this study were as follows: (a)
students showed better attendance rates, (b) better graduation rates improved, and (c) families
collaborated with PIFs on ways to encourage families to visit the school (Ferrara, 2015).
This research is important to educators and administrators because it shows the
importance of a PIF for student retention and family collaboration and engagement. Schools can
use the information from this study to shape PIF programs.

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Garcia-Sanchez, I. M., Hopkins, M., & Orellana, M. F. (2011). Facilitating intercultural

communication in parent-teacher conferences: Lessons from child translators.
Multicultural Perspectives, 13(3), 148-154. doi:10.1080/15210960.2011.594387
The theoretical article written by Garcia-Sanchez, Hopkins, and Orellana (2011)
addressed the communication during parent-teacher conferences when students were used as
translators. Based on this research, Garcia-Sanchez, Hopkins, and Orellana (2011) identifed how
translation work requires skills in listening and speaking as well as the ability to convey words
and ideas in another language. Eleven parent-teacher conferences were recorded and transcribed
to analyze student translation.
The research of Garcia-Sanchez, Hopkins, and Orellana (2011) noted that students
emphasized negative talk or criticism from the teacher while lacking emphasis on positive talk
and praise. The direct translation meanings of students were often different than what the
teacher stated, using words that the teacher did not use to discuss data, concerns, or praise.
Several cases represented that the students stumbled over the translation, basically searching for
words to explain what the teacher said.
Garcia-Sanchez, Hopkins, and Orellana (2011) explained the need for teachers to be
aware of the concerns of using children as translators during conferences. Teachers need to
know that students tend to place emphasis on the negative points, and not highlight the positive
aspects or successes in their education. Teachers need to allow processing time to ensure that
students translate necessary information. Students require more support to be sure they
understand important points that are conveyed to families (Garcia-Sanchez, Hopkins, &
Orellana, 2011). These points make the information more manageable to translate and convey a
positive emphasis.

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This article suggests that when teachers use students as translators, the conference must
be structured and manageable for the student. Garcia-Sanchez, Hopkins, and Orellana (2011)
explained that teachers have to be able to deliver information to student translators in a manner
where they can be successful in translating the important information to parents. This is
important for educators to be sure that they are reaching families, especially when students are
translating. Structuring the conferences with some of the suggestions or research of GarciaSanchez, Hopkins, and Orellana (2011) will facilitate meaningful parent engaged conferences.

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Gomez, L. M. (2011). Bicultural parent engagement: Advocacy and empowerment.

Journal of Latinos and Education, 12(4), 277-280. doi:10.1080/15348431.
2013.785409
The theoretical article written by Gomez (2011) addressed the need for teacher-parent
collaboration in bicultural or multicultural families in order to transform education. Based on
research, Gomez (2011) discussed three domains that outline the basis for teacher-parent
collaboration. The first domain discussed multicultural perspectives and the importance of
bicultural parents, or parents that value both their culture of origin and the culture in which they
reside. The second domain discussed critical perspectives that affect bicultural parents
involvement and engagement. The third domain analyzed operationalizing transformative parent
engagement, providing the tools needed for schools to advance student progress. The
transformational parent engagement model includes five levels of parent involvement (Gomez,
2011, p. 278). The five levels are as follows: (1) connectedness, (2) inclusion, (3) decision
making, (4) participatory action research, and (5) macro civic engagement (Gomez, 2011,
p. 279). These five levels of parent involvement in conjunction with democratic schooling and
parent, school, and community engagement are the premises for strong bicultural parent
involvement in schools (Gomez, 2011, p. 279).
According to Gomez (2011), the necessity of bicultural family engagement for
marginalized families can lead to the transformation of individual schools and communities.
This article referred to the book Bicultural Parent Engagement: Advocacy and Empowerment as
a means to obtain examples, models, and practices that can be put into use by teachers. The
book provides strategies to help facilitate and improve bicultural engagement in schools and

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communities to support student achievement by including language, culture, and ethnic diversity
(Gomez, 2011, p. 279).
This author described the value of creating bicultural parent support that directly effects
student achievement. This is important for teachers and schools because it highlights specific
levels of engagement for creating a strong bicultural parent engagement that is focused on
student achievement. Teachers can incorporate the five levels of engagement to shape strong
bicultural parent engagement through the connection of parent, school, and the community
(Gomez, 2011, p. 279).

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Keys, A. (2014). Family engagement in rural and urban Head Start families: An exploratory
study. Early Childhood Education Journal, 43(1), 69-76. doi:10.1007/s10643-0140643-8
Keys (2014) researched how neighborhood factors influenced children in the Head Start
program and their developmental outcome. The focus was not on family engagement, but rather
the differences in rural and urban variables with family engagement being one variable. The
purpose of this empirical study, spanning a two year time period in southwest Missouri, was to
understand the development of Head Start families based on their communities and school
achievement gains (Keys, 2014, p. 70). The hypothesis was that parents involved in early
childhood education were more engaged in the learning process (Keys, 2014).
The research was an exploratory cross-sectional study that surveyed family engagement
in Head Start families from different community locations. This study included 16 Head Start
centers, 29 classrooms in 10 different communities, and 419 surveys returned (Keys, 2014, p.
70). The survey collected basic demographic information including age and gender of the family
member filling out the survey, race/ethnicity, level of education achieved, and marital status
(Keys, 2014, p. 71).
The results of this study showed that marital status did not reflect a relationship to family
engagement. Additionally, the research returned information that urban families had higher
levels of perceived family engagement with higher scores achieved on the parent involvement
survey than of families in the rural communities (Keys, 2014, p. 73).
This research is important to educators to understand information about family
engagement perceptions based on community factors to help teachers and schools encourage

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parent engagement. Knowing the population of students and families that a school is serving is
helpful when trying to increase engagement.

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Kiyama, J. M., & Quiones, S. (2014). Contra la corriente (against the current): The role of
Latino fathers in family-school engagement. School Community Journal, 24(1), 149-176.
Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com.sierranev.idm.oclc.org/ehost
Kiyama and Quiones (2008) studied the perspectives of Latino students and families
with direct feedback from fathers. The purpose of this empirical study that spanned seven
months was to identify resources that promote student success and identify barriers that limit
educational experiences and counteract high dropout rates (Kiyama & Quiones, 2008, p. 156).
The research questions examined were the following: (a) How do the Puerto Rican fathers in
this study support their childrens education, (b) what do they perceive as obstacles to familyschool engagement, and (c) what recommendations do they have for improving the educational
status of U.S. Latino students and their families (Kiyama & Quiones, 2008, p. 153).
The research was a community-based mixed method design. The study was conducted in
a low performing urban school district (PreK-12) in New York State. The data were collected
through 11 focus groups that highlighted eight fathers, who identified as Puerto Rican. The
fathers discussed their experience with parent engagement as Latino families. The framework
examined the experiences and perspectives of the fathers and their participation in family-school
engagement (Kiyama & Quiones, 2008, p. 155).
The results of this study showed that all fathers valued having high expectations for
scholastic achievement. The fathers expressed the importance of Latino-centered cultural values
for a good upbringing (Kiyama & Quiones, 2008, p. 161). Education was perceived as family
and community collaboration through generations, hoping that their older childrens plans to
attend college would generate aspirations for other younger family members to be college bound.
These aspirations were part of an understanding that higher education leads to a better life for

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the whole family with emphasis on the future generations (Kiyama & Quiones, 2008, p. 162).
Additionally, one father recognized that generational thinking, the sense of low expectations for
college attendance, preserves low expectations for educational success. The fathers in this study
recognized parents as the starting point in education and shared strategies to connect learning
between home and school. The authors described poor communication as an impediment in the
educational experience and as having a tendency to create a distrust and lack of confidence
among parents (Kiyama & Quiones, 2008).
This research is important to educators and administrators because it shows that Latino
fathers value the education and success of their child. Schools can benefit from this study by
providing accurate high quality information to parents that directs them to valuable school
programs and supports that would benefit their children.

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Kraft, M., & Rogers, T. (2014). Teacher-to-parent communication: Experimental evidence from
a low-cost communication policy. Society for Research on Educational
Effectiveness, p. 1-9. Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com.sierranev.idm.oclc.
org/ehost
Kraft and Rogers (2014) researched how weekly communication from teachers to parents
influenced student performance in school. The purpose of this empirical study was to examine
the effects on student performance based on different message types from teachers to parents.
The research, spanning five weeks, was set during a traditional summer school program where
students made up credits in two different classes (Kraft & Rogers, 2014, p. 1). The research
questions that guided the study were as follows: (a) what is the effect of teacher-to parent
communication on the probability a student earns course credit in a credit recovery program,
and (b) are positive or needs-improvement messages more effective at increasing a students
likelihood of earning course credit (Kraft & Rogers, 2014, p. 1).
The study was conducted in a large urban school district in the northeastern United States
that included students from over 30 high schools. All students attended a credit recovery
program. The participants consisted of 435 students and their parents. Participants were grouped
into three different study groups. The first group received weekly positive teacher
communication. The second group received weekly detailed communication regarding what the
student could do to improve. The third group, the control group, received no communication.
The teachers were provided scripted sentences to use in communication with parents. The
teacher messages were delivered to parents either by email, phone call, or a form of text.
Translators were hired for parents who did not speak English (Kraft & Rogers, 2014).

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The results of this study proved that the content of the message matters (Kraft & Rogers,
2014). There was a positive effect on students whose parents received detailed improvement
information. These students showed significant reduction in student absenteeism and behavior
concerns. The students whose parents received positive non-specific messages showed positive
effects but without significance. The research demonstrated that providing parents with
individualized messages and information about their childrens schoolwork provides measurable
benefits in student success.
This research is important to educators and administrators because it shows that
providing parents with detailed information has measureable positive effects.

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Lawson-Alameda, T. (2014). A pilot study of collective parent engagement and childrens

academic achievement. Children and Schools, 36(4), 199-209. doi:10.1093/cs/cdu019
Lawson-Alameda (2014) researched the need to develop a new model for parent
participation and action in low-income school communities. The purpose of this empirical study,
which spanned the final two weeks of the school year, was to determine how parent
empowerment influenced improved school-wide academic achievement (AA), specifically in
student absenteeism and test scores (Lawson-Alameda, 2014, p. 201). The research was a post
hoc, quasi-experimental design that included a 32-item parent involvement questionnaire and an
empowerment inventory. This questionnaire and inventory measured increases in test scores and
reduction in absenteeism based on parents participation in the empowerment program. The
empowerment program helped parents understand how to be involved with the educational
process for student success (Lawson-Alameda, 2014). The research objectives examined were
the following: (a) to explore whether, following their parents engagement in Collective Parent
Engagement (CPE), children demonstrate higher AA than children in a comparison group, and
(b) to explore whether parent empowerment might serve as a gateway between CPE and
childrens AA (Lawson-Alameda, 2014, p. 203).
The study included 16 parents in the CPE study group based on three primary inclusion
criteria: (a) parents have completed the 40-hour outreach training course, (b) parents needed to
have at least one child at the school who was old enough to have a recorded Stanford-9
Achievement Test (SAT-9) score prior to their engagement in the program, and (c) parents must
reside in Jeffersonville Manor (Lawson-Alameda, 2014, p. 203). The study included a
Comparison Group to balance social economic constraints experienced by families living in
Jeffersonville Manor (Lawson-Alameda, 2014, p. 203).

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The results of this study demonstrated that the students from families who participated in
the CPE program scored an average of ten points higher in posttest scores than the Comparison
Group students in math, reading, and language. Additionally, the parents who participated in the
CPE program had a significantly higher empowerment score than the Comparison Group
parents. This means that the CPE parents felt more empowered by the outcome of their students
success (Lawson-Alameda, 2014, p. 204). The study also proved that, in the CPE program, a
one-point increase in parent empowerment correlated to a 2.5-point increase in students
standardized reading scores with no increase in math or language (Lawson-Alameda, 2014, p.
206).
This research is important to educators and administrators because it shows that parent
empowerment through parent involvement and participation can lead to growth in student
academic achievement in some areas. Educators can use this information to improve
engagement and empowerment programs to make gains in student achievement.

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Linse, C. (2013). Linguistic capital pays dividends. Phi Delta Kappan, 94(6), 32-34.
Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com.sierranev.idm.oclc.org/ehost
The theoretical article written by Linse (2013) addressed the benefits of bilingualism or
multilingualism. Based on research, Linse (2013) identified that speaking Spanish in the United
States has a multitude of benefits: (a) cognitive benefits, (b) professional/vocational,
(c) academic vocabulary, (d) academic resource, (e) personal/family, (f) utilitarianism of
Spanish, (g) economic, and (h) cultural capital (p. 32-33).
The research of Linse (2013) stated that a problem faced in education is that Spanish
language and culture are not valued, and an English only agenda is advocated. This problem
causes issues for students and families, such as valuing families, loss of job, professional, and
commercial opportunities, implications for low-incidence languages, U.S. foreign language
instruction, and resurrecting lost linguistic capital (Linse, 2013, p. 34). Linse (2013) explored
the idea of how to value Spanish language by understanding how Spanish language benefits
students. Speaking Spanish in the home does not detract from rapid development of English
language skills. Spanish language acquisition can benefit students and provide support to
English linguistic skills. Many English words are rooted in Latin. Spanish is a Latin-based
language that can provide support in acquiring new English words with Latin roots.
Linse (2013) explained the need for teachers to be visibly and audibly supportive of
culturally and linguistically diverse families. Due to the nearly 500 million Spanish language
speakers, bilingual or multilingual abilities can provide benefits in academic, professional,
recreational, and cultural purposes (Linse, 2013). Teachers can use Spanish as a communication
tool. Linse (2013) discussed the need to consider Spanish language capital as an asset and value

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the wealth of benefits that Spanish language linguistic capital has to offer students in the
acquisition of English language for a successful future.
This article suggested that when teachers value a students Spanish language skills,
teachers can build upon these skills. The Spanish language and linguistic skills are useful for
students as a foundation in English language and linguistic acquisition.

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Robinson, P. (2012). Literacy engagement and parental development through Even Start family
literacy participation. Journal of Research & Practice for Adult Literacy, Secondary &
Basic Education, 1(1), 19-29. Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com.
sierranev.idm.oclc.org/ehost
Robinson (2012) researched the need to increase adult literacy and, in effect, increase
early literacy skills in children. The purpose of this empirical study, which spanned six months,
was to determine how improved parent literacy directly impacts the early literacy of children
(Robinson, 2012). The research was based on the Transformative Learning Theory and was a
qualitative design. The objective was to capture deep meanings to understand the individual
realities of the participants (Robinson, 2012, p. 21). The research questions that guided the study
were the following: (a) How does participation in the Even Start Family Literacy Program
(ESFLP) contribute to literacy engagement and parental development, and (b) what is the role
of the ESFLP on personal development (Robinson, 2012, p. 20).
The study was conducted in south central Texas and included eight parents enrolled in the
ESFLP. The parents were mothers from Mexico who identified as Hispanic. Participants were
required to meet the following three criteria: (a) be over the age of 18, (b) participated in the
Even Start Program for at least six months, and (c) have at least one child enrolled in the Even
Start Program (Robinson, 2012, p. 22). The study included audio recorded, face-to-face and,
open-ended interviews with each parent and two teachers participating in the study (Robinson,
2012, p. 22).
The results of this study represented four themes: (a) parenting skill development, (b)
literacy practices, (c) critical thinking skills, and (d) personal development (Robinson, 2012,
p. 23).

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The study found that, through the program, the participants confirmed positive experiences and
effects on their parenting and literacy skills. Participants explained that their familial
relationships had improved, both with spouses and children. The participants placed emphasis
on the benefits and value that they gained in the Parent and Child Time Together (PACT).
During this time, the parents engaged in literacy activities with their children. Parents divulged
that the program taught them literacy skills that they did not have prior to the program. Not only
did the program improve the parents literacy skills, but it helped parents to become more
involved with their childrens learning and literacy acquisition. These skills and strategies
helped them to practice reading and literacy with their children (Robinson, 2012).
This research is important to educators and administrators because it shows that literacy
starts in the home with parental literacy. Providing parents with the ability to become literate
and improve their skills can assist in the literacy skill development in children. The system of
support comes full circle when parents are educated and provided skills to encourage and support
their children.

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Scanlan, M. (2011). How school leaders can accent inclusion for bilingual students,
families, & communities: Inclusin. Multicultural Education, 18(2), 5-9. Retrieved from
http://web.b.ebscohost.com.sierranev.idm.oclc.org/ehost
The theoretical article written by Scanlan (2011) addressed the demographic imperative,
which is described as linguistic diversity, socioeconomic status, and culture. Scanlan (2011)
discussed the need for improvement in educational services for the linguistically diverse
populations. A concern for schools not meeting the needs of the linguistically diverse is that this
population has grown so rapidly. There are two other factors Scanlan (2011) noted that are
exaggerating the problem within schools: segregation and the pressures of high stakes
accountability (p. 5).
Scanlan (2011) developed a conceptual framework called Inclusin. The framework
shapes decisions and behaviors of teachers and school leaders. Teachers and school leaders need
to be the driving force of changing understanding and response to school communities. The
framework includes four primary dimensions: (a) linguistically diverse students are bilingual, (b)
language acquisition is sociocultural and developmental, (c) service delivery systems should be
best equipped to meets students special needs, and (d) parent engagement is essential and
ecological (Scanlan, 2011 p. 6).
Scanlan (2011) explained the need for change in response to linguistic diversity. The
framework explained how each dimension plays a role in the change. Bilingual abilities require
a need for building upon native language skills for effective English language development, and
language acquisition is both sociocultural and developmental (Scanlan, 2011). The final
dimension integrates engagement of parents, caretakers, and guardians as a means of positively

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influencing achievement through collaborative relationships among teachers, families, and

community members (Scanlan, 2011).
Utilizing the framework and applying Inclusin encourages opportunity and access for
bilingual students based on in-school supports and collaboration strategies for bilingual families
(Scanlan, 2011). Scanlan (2011) described steps for implementing this framework by bolstering
the skills of teachers who work with bilingual students. Additionally, school leaders are
encouraged to engage in home-school collaboration using several strategies: (a) respecting and
building on the home language of students; (b) affirming the dignity of parents languages within
the school through signage, communication, and personal interactions; and (c) home visits and
conversations with parents (Scanlan, 2011, p. 8).
This article presents that the conceptual framework Inclusin will develop welcoming
and liberating school communities for linguistically diverse students (Scanlan, 2011, p. 8). This
is important for school administrators and teachers because the framework provides steps for
implementing the program with goals of creating a dynamic, efficient, and responsive structure
for meeting students special needs and incorporating parent engagement, which is essential in
education (Scanlan, 2011).

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Velasco, P. (2014). The language and educational ideologies of Mixteco-Mexican

mothers. Journal of Latinos and Education, 13(2), 85-106.
doi:10.1080/15348431.2013.821061
Velasco (2014) researched the change in educational ideologies among Mixteco-Mexican
mothers through parental engagement. The purpose of this empirical study, which spanned eight
months, was to understand parents academic expectations and the support structures they
implement at home (Velasco, 2014, p. 87). The research design was based on five focus group
interviews. The objective was to understand the educational ideologies. The information was
broken into five different categories: (a) the role of language(s) in school and at home, and
attaining literacy in Spanish, (b) crossing boundaries: A Mixteco family impacting academic
knowledge, (c) literacy at the center of creating educational ideologies, (d) teachers as
agents of identity formation, and (e) teachers as long-term allies (Velasco, 2014, p. 94).
The study was conducted in New York City and included 23 mothers who were from the
state of Guerrero, Mexico and identified as Mixteco (Velasco, 2014). Mixteco is defined as
indigenous populations of people from Mexico such as the Aztec or Mayan people. The Mixteco
population has their own language, which is rooted in the Aztec and Mayan languages mixed
with Spanish. Participants had students enrolled in the Head Start program and an elementary
school that was nearby (Velasco, 2014). The semi-structured interviews were audiotaped, and all
mothers attended all five interviews. The first interview was conducted in the school while the
other four were conducted at one of the mothers homes (Velasco, 2014). The guiding questions
for the interviews surveyed the life and educational experience of the mothers and their
experiences with New York City public schools (Velasco, 2014).

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The results of this study showed that Spanish was not the first language for the mothers;
in the home, three languages are spoken: (a) Mixteco, (b) Spanish, and (c) English. The mothers
all expressed that the schools were welcoming, and the teachers and administrators showed a
sense of admiration (Velasco, 2014, p.95). Learning both Spanish and English was important to
the mothers (Velasco, 2014). English is associated with economic and educational success. All
mothers expressed their personal interest in obtaining higher levels of literacy in both Spanish
and English (Velasco, 2014). The mothers identified the importance of teachers and the role they
play in education, specifically literacy. Based on the experiences and the interview sessions, the
mothers were able to become part of a community with one another and the schools, and formed
new educational ideologies (Velasco, 2014).
This research is important to educators and administrators because it shows that learning
about home lives can open the door for many opportunities. Families can learn from one another
as well as from teachers and school staff. This is important to promote home and school
connections and create a community of families who can learn from schools and implement
important strategies in the home.

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Wessels, S. (2014). Supporting English and Spanish literacy through a family literacy
program. School Community Journal, 24(2), 147-164. Retrieved from
http://web.b.ebscohost.com.sierranev.idm.oclc.org/ehost
Wessels (2014) researched the impact of implementing a bilingual family literacy
program into primary schools for success in literacy acquisition. The purpose of this empirical
study, which spanned eight weeks, was to review the outcomes and importance of a bilingual
family literacy program for Latino English Language Learner (ELL) families (Wessels, 2014).
The qualitative research was based on the dialogic reading theory, which includes parents or
caregivers having dialogue with children while reading together (Wessels, 2014). The foundation
of the dialogue was heavily based in wh-questions to explore a deeper meaning within the text.
The program consisted of one session per week and was conducted in the parents native
language, Spanish, to allow for full participation (Wessels, 2014, p. 149).
The study included 17 mothers and 31 children in Grades preschoolkindergarten whose
first language was Spanish (Wessels, 2014, p. 155). The study included semi-structured
interviews, parent evaluation surveys, and field notes for data collection and analysis (Wessels,
2014). Each weeks sessions were very structured, providing time for participants to watch direct
modeling of a literacy strategy followed by time to practice the strategy. Parents were provided
three bilingual books at the end of each session to support literacy strategies in the home and
build a personal library (Wessels, 2014, p. 155). Additionally, parents were provided
refreshments at the end of each session to build parent relationships with one another and parentschool relationships.
The study resulted in three themes: (a) maintaining the first language, (b) practicing what
I have been taught, and (c) the importance of time (Wessels, 2014, p. 157).

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Through the program, parents learned that reading to their children in Spanish would benefit
their childrens education. The participants gained critical skills for engagement in literacy and
the ability to have rich conversations about what they have read. The parent interviews revealed
parental gains in literacy strategies and a newfound confidence in implementing the strategies as
well as an increased appreciation for reading with their children (Wessels, 2014, p. 159). The
conclusion presented using the native language to strengthen reading and literacy skills in the
home and creating a home-school connection for both parents and their children (Wessels, 2014).
This research is important to educators and administrators because it shows that literacy
starts in the home, and that schools can provide the tools for literacy building within the home.
The importance of the school conducting the program in Spanish builds confidence and a strong
bond for parents with schools. This can promote increased parental participation in schools, and
it supports the importance of native language in the home and within the school.

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