Parent Involvement and Satisfaction in Magnet Schools: Do Reasons for Choice Matter?.

Magnet schools remain the most widespread form of school choice. This paper explores the relationship between parents' reasons for choice and their level of satisfaction and involvement with their chosen magnet school. The study involved 18 elementary magnet schools in 2 large urban school districts. A survey was sent to all parents with fifth-grade children in the sample schools. A total of 1,689 parents (65 percent) responded. Findings indicate that: (1) parents selected magnet schools for a wide variety of reasons and were highly satisfied with their chosen schools; (2) parents' reasons for choice and perceived influence over school decisions were important predictors of satisfaction with the school; and (3) parents' reasons for choice, perceived influence over school decisions, income, and distance from home to school significantly influenced parent involvement at school. Magnet-school parents indicated that they based their choice of school on academics, values, and discipline/safety. Those parents who chose on the basis of convenience indicated lower levels of satisfaction with their chosen school. Therefore, if a policy were implemented that required all parents to choose, it might result in a larger percentage of parents choosing for reasons of convenience. There was no correlation between parent income and influence; however, greater income was a predictor of parent involvement. Although the reasons for choice had some ability to predict parent involvement, they were more powerful predictors of parent satisfaction. Five tables are included. Appendices contain the study variables and an intercorrelation matrix of independent variables. (Contains 36 references). (LMI) ******************************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ******************************************************************************** Parent Involvement and Satisfaction in Magnet Schools: Do Reasons for Choice Matter? U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) O This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it 0 Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction Quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this doct ment do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. Charles S. Hausman University of Maine and Ellen B. Goldring Vanderbilt University PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY C.J14,111A411-wertast TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This paper was prepared for the 1997 Annual Convention of the University Council for Educational Administration, Orlando.