For over four decades, research has unequivocally proven academic achievement and parent involvement are directly linked. Much of the literature on parent involvement suggests it should be at the forefront of social concern if one hopes to advance towards academic excellence in America. According to researchers (Cole-Henderson, 2000; Sheridan & Gutkin, 2000) children whose parents are involved have higher education attainment rates, perform better on high stakes testing and in school achievement. However, absent from the literature are the voices of marginalized parents who bear the brunt of the blame for the achievement gap that currently exists between Black students and their White counterparts. This exploratory study examines the roles low-income Black parents construct for themselves in their children’s academic and social emotional success at home and in school. In this study, parent involvement refers to school-sanctioned, and school-authored activities in which parents participate. Ecologies of Parent Engagement (EPE) and Social Stratification were the theoretical frameworks used to situate the study. Ecology of Parent Engagement considers the how and whys of parent engagement, and how parents’ experiences with educators determine the way they engage in their children’s education in and out of the school community. Social Stratification was utilized to display how people are stratified into groups determined by their social status and social position in society. Qualitative research methods, specifically Critical Race Methodology (CRM), a counter storytelling method, and Portraiture methodology were used to provide a detailed picture of parent involvement based on the participant stories and experiences with school personnel and in their respective communities. In this study the findings unearthed race, social class, and educator perception as mitigating factors in how and why parents engaged or disconnect from their children’s school environment.
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