Date of Award
8-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (EdD)
Department
Education Systems Improvement Science
Committee Chair/Advisor
Dr. Carlos Sandoval
Committee Member
Dr. Brandi Hinnant-Crawford
Committee Member
Dr. Hans Klar
Committee Member
Dr. Kathy Coleman
Abstract
This study examined how parent empowerment groups influence the academic success of kindergarten multilingual learners. With increasing immigration across the United States, schools need to work with families to ensure students develop the skills required for academic achievement at each level. The identified problem is that the current multilingual learner program at Boyd Matthews Elementary does not adequately meet parents’ needs in building a strong home-school connection, placing the full responsibility of learning on the school and leaving students without critical academic support at home. Parent empowerment groups were held with multilingual kindergarten parents to share practical strategies for supporting students in reading, writing, and math. The results did not show significant improvements on standardized tests such as iReady or ACCESS. However, qualitative data from surveys and follow-up phone calls with parents indicated that teaching families how to read, write, and engage with their children improved. Based on this work, it is essential to continue researching the impact of parent empowerment. Future studies should aim to strengthen two-way communication between families and teachers.
Recommended Citation
Deloach, Sarah C., "Using Parent Empowerment Groups to Increase Academic Success in Kindergarten Multilingual Learners" (2025). All Dissertations. 3997.
https://open.clemson.edu/all_dissertations/3997