Parental Involvement and Socioeconomic Status in Palestine: A Case Study of Jerusalem Schools

Abstract

This qualitative multi-case study explores parental involvement in three schools in Jerusalem with varying socioeconomic status. Two United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) schools in a refugee camp represent low socioeconomic status (SES), while one private school in central Jerusalem represents high SES. The study includes interviews and focus groups with school administrators, teachers, a social worker, and students with different achievement levels from the fifth and ninth grades. The key findings highlight the differences in parental involvement between high- and low-SES schools. While parents from all SES backgrounds encourage their children's education, those in elite school are more engaged and communicate frequently with teachers. Challenges in elite school include parental over-interference, pressure for high achievement, and ranking. Low-SES schools face barriers such as family disintegration, drug addiction, students' absence, early marriages, and low parental education, which limit effective involvement. However, open-minded and cultured parents tend to be more engaged across both settings.