Parental involvement has long been recognized as a critical factor in students’ academic success. When parents engage in school activities—such as attending parent-teacher conferences, school events, or simply discussing education at home—children tend to perform better academically.
However, a recent study shows that language barriers and logistical challenges often prevent non-English-speaking parents from fully participating in their children’s education.
Recently released federal data spanning two decades highlights the stark disparity in parental involvement between English-speaking and Spanish-speaking caregivers. Most alarmingly, this disparity is growing despite the wide availability of education translation services.
In 1999, about 79 percent of English-speaking parents reported attending a general school meeting, compared to 69 percent of non-English-speaking parents. By 2024, this gap had widened significantly, with 87 percent of English-speaking parents attending such meetings, while participation among non-English-speaking parents had dropped to just 55 percent.
During the 2023-24 school year, approximately 79 percent of Spanish-speaking parents who attempted to engage with their child’s school reported that language barriers made it difficult for them to participate.
Addressing Barriers Yields Positive Outcomes
Beyond language, data shows that these parents also face additional obstacles such as work-related scheduling conflicts, transportation difficulties, and the challenge of securing childcare.
“Yet when schools address those barriers, they can boost family engagement among multilingual parents, which in turn can lead to improvement in students’ academic achievement,” said Elisabeth O’Bryon, Co-founder and Chief Impact Officer of the nonprofit Family Engagement Lab.
To address these challenges, O’Bryon says schools should adopt a strengths-based approach that recognizes the meaningful contributions non-English-speaking families can make to the school community.
“We need to think about families from that asset-based lens and realize that their potential for contributions is super meaningful and think about how to do that best, given the specific community needs and linguistic needs are huge,” O’Bryon said.
Education translation services can help. When working with immigrant families, schools should also take the lead in educating parents on how U.S. school systems function, according to Ana Pasarella, Director of Family and Community Engagement with Alvin School District (Texas).
“When possible, schools should take the initiative to fully inform [parents] about how things work with U.S. schools, including the basics, such as whom to contact at the school with specific questions and how to view students’ grades,” Pasarella said during a recent EdWeek webinar.
While federal data primarily tracks parental involvement for in-person school activities, O’Bryon suggests that schools should think more broadly about family engagement, extending beyond traditional meetings.
“We want families to regularly get information about what their kids are learning and how they can help at home,” she explained. "To reach these families, schools may need to conduct meetings via Zoom or other video platforms."
About LanguageLine’s Education Translation Services
Schools looking to bridge language gaps and improve parental engagement can benefit from LanguageLine’s education translation services.
Our comprehensive language support ensures that non-English-speaking parents and caregivers remain informed, involved, and empowered to participate in their children’s education.
- Interpretation Services: Schools can provide on-demand interpretation via phone or video in more than 240 languages to ensure effective communication during parent meetings. If necessary, an interpreter can be scheduled to attend in person, facilitating deeper engagement between parents and educators. On-site interpreters can also be scheduled for school events.
- Written Translation Services: Schools often distribute critical information through documents such as report cards, registration forms, health notices, emergency communications, and newsletters. LanguageLine translates these materials into a variety of languages, ensuring that parents receive accurate, clear, and culturally appropriate messages.
- Bilingual Staff Testing and Certification: Many schools employ bilingual staff members to communicate with diverse student populations, but ensuring they have the necessary language proficiency is essential. LanguageLine provides comprehensive bilingual proficiency assessments to verify that staff members can effectively communicate in both English and the target language.
- Multilingual Digital and Remote Solutions: LanguageLine helps bridge the digital divide by providing interpretation and translation services for online platforms. Schools can offer multilingual access to parent portals, learning management systems, and video conferences, ensuring that families can engage regardless of their primary language.
As research continues to highlight the critical role of parental involvement in student success, investing in comprehensive education translation services is an essential step toward educational equity for all students.
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