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Georgia Students Rank Parents As Primary Influencers in School Success

Posted on: Tuesday, 29 November 2005, 18:00 CST

ATLANTA, Nov. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Students in Georgia who participated in a recent survey overwhelmingly agree that it is their parents who are the biggest influencers as to how well they do in school. More than 600 high school students from four diverse regions of Georgia were surveyed about their attitudes as part of a research survey initiated by the Partnership for Reform in Science and Mathematics (PRISM). PRISM is a five-year initiative funded by a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant and administered by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia to raise student achievement in science and mathematics.

A majority of the students surveyed ranked their parent(s) as Very Influential or Extremely Influential, with teachers receiving the next highest ranking. Celebrities were ranked lowest, with coaches, religious leaders and peers also receiving low rankings in terms of influence as compared to parents.

PRISM's survey results come at a time when the State Department of Education, a PRISM partner, is rolling out the new Georgia Performance Standards (GPS), which are raising the bar in many subjects, including science and mathematics. State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox believes the new standards alone won't 'make the grade,' and that parents must stay involved throughout their children's education.

"Some parents stop helping their children with their schoolwork once a student reaches a certain age and their homework gets more advanced," said Superintendent Cox. "As the parent of two sons -- one in middle school, the other in high school -- I understand what they are feeling, but the good news is that help is available. PRISM's research emphasizes to parents that they can assist their child(ren) in the challenging areas of math and science by being regularly involved in their child's educational life."

Why Does Georgia Need PRISM?

For years, Georgia students have ranked low on achievement tests, with mathematics and science achievement falling well below that of many other states.

PRISM's mandate is to raise aspirations and achievement in science and mathematics for all Georgia students and close achievement gaps among demographic groups throughout the state. Reform efforts are expected and are underway with the Department of Education in rural, suburban and urban parts of the state of Georgia.

Research is the Key

"Before we could determine how to help Georgia communities best aid our students, we had to understand the existing parent and student attitudes and behaviors around science and mathematics," said Jan Kettlewell, Co-Principal Investigator of PRISM and University System of Georgia Associate Vice Chancellor for P-16 Initiatives. "We conducted this research in order to gather data on attitudes towards science and mathematics; to guide the development of the most effective communications to students, parents, and the community at large about the importance of science and mathematics; and to measure shifts in attitudes and behavior among key constituent groups in Georgia."

The surveys were conducted at 12 elementary, middle and high schools in four diverse regions of Georgia: Atlanta Metro [Southside High School, Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School and Morris Brandon Elementary School]; East Central [Southeast Bulloch High School, Langston Chapel Middle School and Screven County Elementary School]; Northeast Region [Jackson County Comprehensive High School, West Jackson Middle School and North Jackson Elementary School] and Southeast [Windsor Forest High School, Camden Middle School and Greer Elementary School].

Some of the research questions the survey explored: - What role do parents, school teachers, school administrators and guidance counselors play in students' interest in science and mathematics? - What are students' preferred learning methods for mathematics and science? - How interested are students in pursuing science and mathematics curricula? What are the profiles (geographic, demographic, attitudinal) of students who are more and less interested in science and mathematics? - What messages best present the advantages of study and achievement in the areas of science and mathematics? Key Findings

A number of key findings were uncovered by the research, including indicators on how students and parents think students learn best. Among them:

- students prefer field trips, experiments and hands-on learning opportunities over lecture-style presentations in science and mathematics, - computer and video games are the second most popular way to learn new things after hands-on learning methods, and - parents believe that more hands-on, experiential methods should be more widely used in teaching science and mathematics

These findings are timely, given that the Georgia Performance Standards are now being integrated into classrooms, bringing differentiated learning styles into the equation in both subject areas, as well as others.

"The PRISM research is in agreement with the underlying educational principles of the new Georgia Performance Standards that the Department of Education has put into action in classrooms throughout the state," said Sheila Jones, PRISM Project Director. "We anticipate that teachers will be able to teach core content knowledge using more hands-on methodology, rather than 'teach to the test' methods, and that Georgia's students, families and employers will reap the benefits for generations to come."

Additional key findings of the PRISM research are that: - a majority of students surveyed rated themselves as average in their mathematical and science ability - African-American students had a slightly higher confidence level in their mathematical abilities than their Caucasian classmates but the reverse was true in science - most students strongly agreed with the statement that you have to know at least some science and mathematics to do most jobs, although more parents than students recognize that a good, working knowledge of mathematics is important to doing well in the student's chosen career field or trade - most students think mathematics is important even for those students who do not plan to attend college

"All ten of our PRISM strategies -- which connect higher education to K-12 teachers and schools with the goals of closing student achievement gaps while enhancing professional development for teachers of science and mathematics -- are benefiting from this research," said Kettlewell.

According to Superintendent Cox, "Parents need to take this information seriously and remember that their involvement is about more than checking homework and attending football games. It requires involvement in every aspect of a child's education, from kindergarten to graduation. Get to know your children's teachers and guidance counselors. Talk to the principal if you have a concern or a compliment. Know what opportunities are available to your children and then talk with your kids about setting priorities and pursuing their dreams."

A complete copy of the survey and its findings are available at http://www.gaprism.org/ under the Information tab.

This press release is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation under Cooperative Agreement Number: EHR-0314953. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Partnership for Reform in Science and Mathematics

CONTACT: MEDIA, Karin P. Koser, +1-404-636-9311, or karin@kpkco.com, orBeth Hawks, +1-404-814-1015, or beth@kpkco.com, both of KPK & Co.

Web site: http://www.gaprism.org/

Source: PRNewswire

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