Involvement of Parents and Families

There is a great deal of discussion about whether the term "parent involvement" or "family involvement" best conveys the desired goal. Modern families are diverse. Most but not all children live with at least one parent. For some children, the parental role may be carried out by relatives, older siblings, or other caring adults. Children may live with relatives such as grandparents, aunts, and uncles. In many cultures, extended family members play a significant role in child rearing.

Children need lots of people to be concerned about their future and active in their lives. In this document, the term "parent involvement" has been used for reasons of readability and brevity. The choice of the word "parent" is not intended to exclude other adults from active participation in the education of children. For most examples of involvement, "family" could be substituted for "parent." However, it is important to remember that certain kinds of participation are limited to parents and others with legal responsibility for the child.