Youth News Team

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 26, 2005

For More Information, Contact:
Rachel Belin, (859) 396-6362

Youth News Team Releases Study on Parent Involvement in High School

Teen and parent investigators find particular types of parent involvement boost achievement

LEXINGTON, KY. – A group of Lexington, KY parents and high school students released the results of a comprehensive study examining the relationship of parents to high school achievement. In a presentation to the Fayette County School Board, members of the “Youth News Team” said they were there to show why parents and high school students need each other to achieve academic success.

“We need to get the word out that high school kids need their parents as much as younger students do,” said Tiffany Duncan, 17. “The question at this level, though, is what exactly parent involvement that helps teens succeed academically looks like. Our study closely examines that.”

The report, High School Students Have Parents Too, includes interviews with policy experts, focus groups with parents and students and a scientific survey that was completed by nearly 4000 students at five Lexington public high schools. The 43-question, researched-based document was designed and analyzed by the Youth News Team with the help of Dr. Melanie Otis from the University of Kentucky’ College of Social Work.

Among the Youth News Team’s findings:

The majority of high achieving students—those with grade point averages (GPAs) of at least 3.5 (equivalent to a B-plus)--have parents who “rarely” or “never” directly help them complete their homework.
Students with GPAs of at least 3.5 are nearly twice as likely to report having parents who “sometimes” or “frequently” attend school events than students with GPAs below 2.0.
61% of students with GPAs over 3.5 report sitting down with their families three or more times per week for dinner.

The student and parent members of the Youth News Team were culled from the leadership programs of the Kentucky Conference of Community and Justice and the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence. The collaboration aims to support young people to spearhead public discussion on education policy.

“Students are the greatest stakeholders in public education debates, yet we are rarely consulted on any important issues that affect us,” stated Chauncey Morton, 17. Added her mother, Debra Morton, who also worked on the study: “Our project perfectly models the power of parents and students joining forces to make our schools better.”