Documentation-status concerns and Latinx parental school involvement.

Parental involvement in their children’s schools has been associated with several benefits for their children, including improved school achievement, lower dropout rates, and fewer behavioral problems. However, less is known about the involvement of parents dealing with documentation-status concerns. In this study, we examined the relations between Latinx parents’ documentation-status concerns, level of education, English proficiency barriers, and school involvement. A community-based partnership conducted a systematic survey of the local Latinx population in both Spanish and English. Latinx community members were involved in the creation and review of the survey instrument and methodology. The analytic sample comprised 125 foreign-born Latinx parents residing in a Midwestern county whose children were in either elementary or middle school. Results indicated that parents who expressed documentation-status concerns were less likely to be physically present in schools, especially those with lower levels of education. Schools should aim to reduce barriers to school involvement among parents struggling with documentation-status concerns and lower education levels as a strategy to improve Latinx children’s future academic success. Practical implications and suggestions for implementation are discussed. What is the significance of this article for the general public?—Our findings indicate that Latinx parents with documentation-status concerns are at increased risk for nonengagement with those traditional channels of school involvement that require their physical presence in schools. In an effort to engender a stronger foundation for student success, schools should aim to identify and reduce barriers to such involvement.