School Community Connectedness and Family Participation at School

Abstract

Family involvement in a child’s education is a complex system that extends beyond the presence of partnerships
between families, schools, and the community (Epstein, 2011). By measuring families’ feelings of connectedness and
membership to the school community, this study explores families’ motivations for participating in their child’s
learning and development at school. Results suggest that a family’s sense of connectedness to their child’s school
community may be related to their level of participation. Findings are discussed in terms of implications for
educational communities emphasizing the power of families’ community connectedness within the schools and
expanding on the ways to enhance family involvement and participation.