Family Diversity and School–Family Relationships

Parents and family members are powerful influences on children's lives. Research consistently shows that family involvement is beneficial for children's and adolescents' cognitive and emotional growth. We also know that most parents (regardless of race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, immigration status, sexual orientation, and religious beliefs) value education, care deeply about their children's schooling, and have high educational aspirations for their children.

Research shows that children today are growing up in a variety of families that are ethnically, culturally, linguistically, economically, sexually, and religiously diverse. This family diversity is reflected in numerous family structures and in different relationship dynamics, family practices, communication styles, uses of resources, and decision-making processes. Furthermore, the increasing diversity of the family has important implications for the ways in which families relate to schools ...