ABSTRACT
Several recurring themes emerge from recent discussions of educational reform, one of which is the importance of parental involvement in the education of their children. Research has shown that parental involvement benefits children’s learning and school success (Chavkin, 1993; Eccles & Harold, 1993; U. S. Department of Education, 1994). The notion that schools would be more effective if parents participated in the education of their children is appealing. However, establishing meaningful partnerships with parents remains an elusive goal in many schools. Even when parental participation in decision making is mandated, as in the education of students with disabilities, collaborative decision making is often difficult to achieve (Hilton & Henderson, 1993; Turnbull & Turnbull, 1997). In special education, parents’ rights to participate as members of the team responsible for decisions pertaining to the diagnosis, placement, and instruction of their children are protected by federal mandates that were initially included in PL94-142 (later renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [IDEA]). The rights of parents of children with disabilities have been reaffirmed and strengthened in the 1997 reauthorization of IDEA. However, although proponents of school improvement advocate for parental involvement in education, and parents of children with disabilities have secured the right to participate in decisions pertaining to their children, parents’ perspectives on their children’s education are not always adequately understood or sufficiently considered in educational planning. The former situation calls for greater understanding of parents’ perspectives; the latter suggests the need to rethink policies and practices supporting (or hindering) collaboration.
