HMONG PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IN SCFIOOL AND ITS EFFECT ON TFIE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF THEIR CHILDREN

Parental ir~volvemer~t in school is a critical factor in student achievement. For Hmong parents, significant involvement in their children's education poses a problem because they are confronted with many obstacles, such as the language barrier, cultural differences, and no experience with the American education system. The purpose of this study was to determine if Hmong parents' involvement in school influenced the academic achievement of their children in grades 2-6. The research consisted of interviews with Hmong parents to collect information pertaining to their involvement in school and students' achievement data from the California Standards Test and the report cards. The findings indicated that, in general, Hmong students performed at or above the average whether or not Hmong parents participated in school activities. Therefore, H~nong parents' involvement in school did not influence the academic performance of their children in grades 2-6. The implication of this study was for school administrators and teachers to adequately provide educational programs aimed at promoting Hmong parental involvement in school. In addition, this study was conducted to help Hmong parents, as well as other minority parents, understand the importance of active participation in their children's education, regardless of the findings of this study. CHAPTER l INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY Background In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, immigrants frorn around the world came to America because they were ". either pushed by poor living situations and economic conditions or pulled by the abundance of work, better wages, and the promise of refuge. " (Lo, 2001 , p. 1 ). In this mass exodus of immigrants, two distinctive groups were identified: those who willingly came to America and those who came against their own will. Among those who came to Arnerica against their own will were the Hmong, a Southeast Asian ethnic group. Because of political turmoil that engulfed their homeland (Laos) from 1961 to 1975, Hmong people were forced to become refugees throughout the world. They were offered political asylum in the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Argentina, and Australia (Lo, 2001 ; Yang, 1992). This rnoverner~t to countries of refuge started in the mid-1 970s as the Hmong entered a new phase of their life and had no idea whether they would be able to return to their homeland. In a twist of fate, the Hmong were drawn to the most industrialized and technologically advanced countries in the world. Rice (2000) indicated that the Hmong in the United States had difficulty adjusting to this new society because of language and cultural differences. They experienced a myriad of culture conflicts that has significantly changed their ways of life in America (Xiong, 1996). According to Lo (2001), the Hmong have encountered more adjustment problems in America than any of the recent refugee groups. "They had to learn to adjust to life in a complex and rapidly changing societyn (Findlay, 1992, p. 1). Adaptation to the culture ar~d ways of life in the American society has been difficult, and has significantly impacted local communities. Few Hmong found employment and the majority of them remained on welfare. Findlay reported that "This dependency has not been an easy condition for the Hmong to accept" (p. 50). In this tough economic environment, education was believed to be the key for a better future. Many Hmong tried to achieve educational excellence. However, because of environmental pressures, Hmong refugee students struggled in school (Vang, 1992). Education became another challenge faced by the Hmong community. Consequently, American schools were presented with a unique situation: how to rapidly and effectively educate this group of newcomers. Hmong parents ". do not know how to help or what support to provide in order for their children to get a good educationn (Xiong, P., 2000, p. 2). They also had no experience with the American education system. In this study, the researcher's goal was to exarnine Hmong educational values and investigate the factors that contributed to the success or failure of their children in school. Hmong parents' involvement in school and its effect on the academic achievement of their children in grades 2-6 was the main focus of this study. In addition, the researcher attempted to identify ambiguities faced by 3 school officials, who experience a substantial number of Hmong students in their schools. The outcome of this research may assist schools to better understand the implications of Hmong parental involvement in school. Secondly, the results of this study may provide important information to Hmong parents regarding the resources that are available to help them become involved in the learning process of their children. Statement of the Problem Hmong parents believe that the key to a successful and prosperous life is through education. Xiong, P. (2000) reported that ". education plays an important role in the Hmong culture and community because parents know that is the only realistic way for their children to obtain job opportunities in the future" (p. 2). Their children's education is their first priority. They also set high academic expectations and educational goals for their children. Hmong students constitute a significant portion of the student population in California public schools. In 2002, the California Department of Education (2003b) reported that there were a total of 26,801 Hmong students in California public schools who were classified as English Language Learners. This presents a challenge for school officials with regard to Hmong student achievement. In addition, the majority of Hmong parents never received a formal education and are preliterate in English, and in many cases, their own language (Walker, 1989a). As a result, Hmong lack the skills to provide academic support for their children (Yang, 1998). Consequently, Hmong children are left to strive on their own (Thao, 1999). Researchers have found that positive home-school relationships are essential for student educational success (Jordan, 1993). Does this apply to the Hmong? The objective of this study was to determine if the absence of Hmong parental involvement in school negatively affected the academic achievement of their children. To achieve this goal, the researcher examined factors, such as the value of education, the active participation in the school system, the educational support system at home, and the education level of the Hmong parents. Hypothesis The following hypotheses were identified: 1) There is no significant difference between Hmong parents' attitudes toward education and their children's academic performance in grades 2-6. 2) There is no significant difference between Hmong parents' active participation in the school system and their children's academic performance in grades 2-6. 3) There is no significant difference between Hmong educational support at home and their children's academic performance in grades 2-6. 4) There is no significant difference between Hmong parents' education level and their children's academic performance in grades 2-6. Purpose of the Study Research has demonstrated that parental involvement is essential and constitutes a solid foundation for their children's success in school (Jordan, 1993; Mason-Chagil, 1999; Walker-Moffat, 1995; Lopez-Romano, 1991). Good communication between the school and home is vital for students' academic achievement, especially for English learners, whose parents speak little or no English. Unfortunately, Hmong parents do not have any experience with the American education system (Walker, 1989a). Clearly, Hrr~ong parents care about their children's education and want to do what is best for them. Although they want to help their children succeed in school, they do not know how. They are willing to cooperate with school personnel to achieve this goal even though they may encounter cultural and language barriers (Van Vliet, 1997). Further, school administrators and teachers are often unable to communicate with Hmong parents. In turn, Hmong parer1.t~ rnay develop a negative sentiment toward school personnel and may feel uncomfortable visiting their children's school (Jordan, 1993). This problem affects rnany Arnerican schools where there is a large Hmong population. Walker-Moffat's study (1995) observed that there were communication gaps between schools and the Hmong community. Yet, very few studies have examined Hmong parental involvement in their children's education and how school officials have addressed this issue (Xiong, P., 2000). The purpose of this research was to determine if Hmong parents' involvement in school had any effect on the academic achievement of their children. This study will attempt to bridge those gaps and offer strategies to help school officials and Hmong parents work collaboratively on behalf of children. The results may also assist local policy makers in determining the level of parent 6 support and commitment needed in the Hmong community. Finally, this study may assist school districts in irnplementi~ig appropriate services that meet the needs of Hmong families. Research on the factors contributing to Hmong children's successes and failures in school will not only be important and useful to administrators, teachers, counselors, and other school specialists, but also, to the Hmong community (Yang, 1998). Limitations of the Study This study was limited by the following factors: 1) The study was limited to the Hmong ethnic group, 2) The respondents were Hmong parents whose children were enrolled in grades 2-6 in two elementary schools of low socioeconomic status, 3) The respondents resided within the boundary of a large urban school district in the San Joaquin Valley of California, 4) The gender of the children was not considered, 5) The length of time the children had been in school was not considered, 6) The number of childrer~