Download or read book Family Engagement Across the Transition from Elementary to Middle School written by Melissa Anne Baker and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 338 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bringing families and schools together has long been acknowledged as a factor that has a positive correlation with a young adolescent's academic achievement (Brough & Irvin, 2001; Epstein, 1990; Sheldon, 2016). At the same time, families become less engaged with schools during the middle grades. The purpose of this study was to explore parent perspectives of family engagement across their child's school transition from fifth grade in an elementary school to sixth grade in a middle school. In particular, this study sought to answer two specific research questions: (1) What are parent perspectives regarding the supports of family engagement across the school transition from elementary school to middle school? (2) What are parent perspectives of barriers to family engagement across the school transition from elementary school to middle school? Through a multi-case study design, four parent participants of sixth grade middle school students in Northeast Georgia, during the 2016-2017 school year, described their experiences. Parent perspectives were first investigated separately using within-case analysis to gain insight into their family engagement experiences with one middle school and what experiences they believed served as supports and barriers to their engaging with the middle school. Participants' perspectives were next investigated in a cross-case analysis to determine what similarities and differences of supports and barriers to family engagement across the school transition from elementary to middle school existed. Three overall themes surrounding the supports and barriers to family engagement across the school transition from elementary school to middle school emerged: (1) communication; (2) school climate, programming, and events; and (3) prior experiences. This study makes practical contributions for both research and practice in the field of school transitions and family engagement. Parent participants overwhelmingly believed elementary and middle schools involved in school transition should focus on clear, consistent, concise communication between families and schools. According to participants, schools should reach out to parents for assistance and advice to improve family engagement across the transition from elementary to middle school.