Transfer parents: An exploration of parent decision making under the No Child Left Behind Act
Abstract
This study examined parents' knowledge, perceptions, and experiences in engaging in the No Child Left Behind school transfer option to understand why so few eligible parents are transferring to better-performing schools. The study will interview parents of elementary school children in schools designated as in need of improvement to learn the decision-making process they engaged in when deciding whether to transfer their child to a better-performing school and the factors that influenced their decision. Three distinct patterns emerged: (a) Parents demonstrated a sense of empowerment, whether or not they made the decision to remain in their current school or seek a transfer, (b) parents believed that they were able to make a difference in their child's education, and (c) parents responded in various ways to the status of their child's school. A qualitative approach was used to collect and analyze the data from participant interviews. The findings of this study suggest a need to revise the transfer option of NCLB to reflect realistic opportunities for parents to actively participate as decision makers in the educational experiences of their children.
Subject Area
Education Policy
Recommended Citation
Pearson-Reis, Sharron, "Transfer parents: An exploration of parent decision making under the No Child Left Behind Act" (2012). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI3495896.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI3495896
