Research shows overwhelmingly that parent involvement in their children's education improves children's achievement, and that the more that parents are involved the more achievement improves. Parent involvement programs and other interventions have been shown to produce higher grades and test scores for children, better attendance, more completed homework assignments, fewer referrals to special education, more positive attitudes and behavior, higher graduation rates, and greater enrollment in postsecondary education. Parents and teachers are eager to help young people find the right balance among these activities. These questions have been debated for years, but the jury is still out. Today, sports programs welcome children of all ages.
Many toddlers now take part with their parents in gym programs designed for very young children.
Millions of American children take part in the programs of Little League Baseball, Pop Warner Football, the U.S. Ice Hockey Association, and the American Youth Soccer Association. Many voluntary organizations such as the YMCA and YWCA sponsor programs in a wide variety of sports, including-basketball and swimming. In the elementary school years, there tends to be less concern about the impact of sports on schoolwork than on equitable access to athletic programs. The role of sports in the lives of older students is more controversial. Proponents of school sports cite studies that show that athletes' grades are higher than those of nonathletes.