Parent/Guardian Empowerment & School Choice

Social workers are increasingly concerned with disparities in academic performance across racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. This significant social justice issue requires a better understanding of various methods to reduce inequity. School choice is one policy initiative that allows parents/guardians to choose schools other than their neighborhood schools, potentially increasing competition among schools and placing parents/guardians in the roles of “consumers.” Despite discussions of parent/guardian authority in school choice, few studies examine parent/guardian empowerment in a school choice context. This study seeks to address this gap in the research. As school social workers focus on school-home connections, they also play a key role within school choice policy implementation. They may assist parents/guardians in their decision-making, providing information and potentially empowering families to engage in their children’s education further. Empowerment is one specific component of a social work perspective that is integral in school choice settings. In addition, it may provide insight into parents/guardians’ school choice decisions, ultimately improving understanding of school choice as a mechanism to reduce educational disparities.The current study utilized cross-sectional survey research with parents/guardians to examine the following research questions: (1) Is Parent/Guardian Empowerment and Prioritization of Academic and Nonacademic Factors related to Parent/Guardian Satisfaction with School Quality; and, (2) Is Prioritization of Academic and Nonacademic Factors a moderator of the relationship between Parent/Guardian Empowerment and Parent/Guardian Satisfaction with School Quality? The study was conducted in two phases. The first phase of this study developed and tested a measure of parent/guardian empowerment using data collected from a cross-sectional online survey with parents/guardians throughout the United States (N = 226). The second phase specifically addressed the study’s research questions using cross-sectional survey research from 110 parents/guardians living in high poverty areas of a large, urban Midwestern city.Exploratory Factor Analysis indicated that the Parent/Guardian Empowerment Scale (P/GES) is a psychometrically sound measure of two domains of parent/guardian empowerment: parent/guardian knowledge and parent/guardian perceived competence. In addition, canonical correlation analysis and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used to examine the predictors of the quality of parents/guardians school choices. The canonical correlation analysis supported elements of multiple decision-making theories, as both parent/guardian prioritization of academic factors and prioritization of nonacademic factors were relevant variables in the predictor set. Additionally, the regression analyses allowed for tests of moderation, indicating that only parent/guardian prioritization of academic factors was a significant moderator in the relationship between parent/guardian knowledge and satisfaction with school quality. The findings in this study can guide future efforts to engage parents/guardians in school choice, specifically via school choice policies and school social work practice. Ultimately, academic outcomes for all students may be improved as social work research, practice, and policy better understand parent/guardian decision-making in relation to school choice.