Chapter 8: A Comparison of Public Elementary School Teachers’ and Parents’ Perception on Actual and Preferred Parental Involvement in St. Thomas

Empirical studies have confirmed a positive correlation between parental involvement and students’ success. While those findings have supplied valuable contributions to education, this study further compared perceptions of teachers and parents with regard to parental involvement. It also compared how teachers and parents perceived the actual and preferred levels of parental involvement. Using a 37-item Likert-scaled instrument, a sample of 67 parents and 60 teachers in the public elementary schools in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, was surveyed. The study found similarities and differences in perceptions. Findings provided richer descriptions of teachers’ and parents’ views, which can serve as valuable and practical catalysts for reflection on parental involvement programs, thus building awareness, clarifying common goals, and consequently fostering students’ success.