Family involvement and school-family partnership in education: Experiences of single parent families

Parental involvement (PI) in education has been increasingly recognized as essential for enhancing academic outcomes and overall educational experiences for children. However, existing research predominantly focuses on defining and improving PI within the context of dominant family structures, largely overlooking the unique challenges faced by single parents, particularly in developing countries. Moreover, most conceptual frameworks and intervention models originate from Western contexts, primarily the US, and are often uncritically adopted in diverse global settings. Employing a basic qualitative research design, this study addresses this gap by centering on the experiences of single parents in a developing country, exploring how they perceive and engage in PI, as well as the barriers they encounter. To assist this undertaking, this study utilized from Epstein's (1995; 2011; 2016) parental involvement model as its conceptual framework and tried to examine if this western-based traditional model could explain the single parents' understandings of the concept. Drawing on in-depth interviews coupled with descriptive and content analysis, the study illuminates the nuanced ways in which single parents define and navigate their involvement in their children's education. By giving voice to this minority group, the research sheds light on the complexities and diversity within parental involvement practices. Findings reveal that single parents in this specific developing country context conceptualize PI differently than Epstein depicts in her model. First of all, it was discovered that despite the difficulties they deal with as single parents, the participants deeply cared about their children's education, and they were willing make any effort and sacrifice in their disposal to support their children's education. Secondly, these parents viewed parental involvement as a parental responsibility that they needed to shoulder themselves. While recognizing five of the six parental involvement dimensions from Epstein's model (leaving only decision making out), they conceptualized these dimensions differently than Epstein (1995; 2011) for Epstein defined these dimensions as a shared responsibility between schools and families, emphasizing collaboration in creating supportive environments for children's learning. This discrepancy underscores the need for a nuanced understanding of PI, acknowledging cultural and contextual variations in parental roles and expectations. By elucidating these differences, this study contributes to enhancing the effectiveness of educational practices and policies, promoting a more inclusive approach to parental involvement tailored to the needs of diverse family structures and cultural contexts. Moreover, the study identifies multifaceted barriers to these parents' involvement including financial constraints, time pressures, societal stigmatization, and limited access to support networks. These findings underscore the importance of acknowledging and addressing the distinct challenges faced by single parents in fostering meaningful engagement in their children's education. This research contributes to the broader discourse on parental involvement by highlighting the need for culturally sensitive and inclusive approaches that account for diverse family structures and socio-economic contexts. By amplifying the voices of single parents in the education dialogue, this study advocates for more equitable and holistic strategies to support parental involvement, ultimately fostering positive educational outcomes for all children.