Understanding Asian American Student Achievement

Abstract

This study investigated the relationships of parent networks and parent empowerment to the academic performance of the children of Asian immigrant parents in U.S. schools. It also examined the role of parent networks in explaining the association between parent empowerment and children’s academic performance. We conducted multinomial logistic regression and path analysis on responses of 317 Asian immigrant parents from the Parent and Family Involvement Survey of the National Household Education Survey, 2007. Parent networks and some parent empowerment components (i.e., competence, parent contact with the school counselor) were significantly related to academic performance. Findings suggest the importance of school counselors utilizing empowerment strategies to help those Asian immigrant parents who need support with their children’s education.