Something I have seen change drastically in the time since I was in school is the degree of teacher support coming from parents. A supportive parent is someone who oversees and guides their child with homework, deadlines, materials, etc. BUT if there ever comes a time when these responsibilities are not carried through, then the parent allows the child to serve the consequences. Parents sometimes feel that being supportive of their child means taking the blame themselves, or pointing the finger at the teacher. And kids know how to manipulate this type of situation.
Kids do get the message.
I've even overheard them preaching to each other about taking responsibility for something. The other day, when a student didn't have a paper signed and blamed it on her family being busy all weekend, her partner asked her in disbelief how she didn't have even one minute to give it to her mom or dad to sign. A supportive parent is also someone who finds the time to read letters that are sent home, and looks through the papers they are asked to sign and return. How many times have I gotten back a homework packet, signed by mom or dad, but half of it was not completed. The child does, of course.