The purpose of this case study was to explore the context, perceptions, and understandings of school-home connections and family engagement of four middle class Latin American families who have children in U.S. public schools. Because family engagement with schools correlates with student success, the participants’ perspectives were examined in depth. The study was guided by two major research questions and associated sub questions:
1. How do four middle class families from Latin America perceive that their child’s school makes efforts to connect with them?
a. What factors contribute to the development of connectedness between home and school for four middle class families from Latin America?
b. What factors contribute to the development of family engagement for four middle class families from Latin America?
2. What tensions are inherent in the interactions between schools and four middle class families from Latin America?
a. What tensions impede the development of connectedness between home and school for four middle class families from Latin America?
b. What tensions impede the development of family engagement for four middle class families from Latin America?
Data sources were open-ended and in-depth biographical interviews, informal conversations, observations, and collages.
There appears to be a paucity of qualitative research examining the perspectives of middle class Latin American immigrants. Therefore, the present case study enriches the current literature on Latin American families. The study was framed by critical theory and guided by the work of Freire (1998/2005) and Moll (Gonzalez et al., 2005). While the data indicated connectedness is especially important to the participants, the degree to which the schools connect with them is complex. The findings suggest that respect is a critical factor for school-home connections, and when families’ funds of knowledge are honored, their sense of connection and desire to engage with the school appear to be strengthened.
","abstract_html":"<p>The purpose of this case study was to explore the context, perceptions, and understandings of school-home connections and family engagement of four middle class Latin American families who have children in U.S. public schools. Because family engagement with schools correlates with student success, the participants’ perspectives were examined in depth. The study was guided by two major research questions and associated sub questions:</p> <p>1. How do four middle class families from Latin America perceive that their child’s school makes efforts to connect with them?<br /> a. What factors contribute to the development of connectedness between home and school for four middle class families from Latin America?<br /> b. What factors contribute to the development of family engagement for four middle class families from Latin America?</p> <p>2. What tensions are inherent in the interactions between schools and four middle class families from Latin America?<br /> a. What tensions impede the development of connectedness between home and school for four middle class families from Latin America?<br /> b. What tensions impede the development of family engagement for four middle class families from Latin America?<br /> Data sources were open-ended and in-depth biographical interviews, informal conversations, observations, and collages.</p> <p>There appears to be a paucity of qualitative research examining the perspectives of middle class Latin American immigrants. Therefore, the present case study enriches the current literature on Latin American families. The study was framed by critical theory and guided by the work of Freire (1998/2005) and Moll (Gonzalez et al., 2005). While the data indicated connectedness is especially important to the participants, the degree to which the schools connect with them is complex. The findings suggest that respect is a critical factor for school-home connections, and when families’ funds of knowledge are honored, their sense of connection and desire to engage with the school appear to be strengthened.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Clark, Janet Elizabeth Pierce"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership (Ed.D)","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Teacher Leadership for Learning","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Dr. Harriet Bessette","Dr. Guichon Zong","Dr. Jo Williamson"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2011,"date_issued":"2011-05-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2011-05-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:42:45Z","subjects":["family engagement","funds of knowledge","Latin American","critical theory","Education"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/etd/433","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Dr. Harriet Bessette","Dr. Guichon Zong","Dr. Jo Williamson"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Clark, Janet Elizabeth Pierce"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2011-01-14T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Teacher Leadership for Learning"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership (Ed.D)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["family engagement","funds of knowledge","Latin American","critical theory","Education"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/etd/433"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The purpose of this case study was to explore the context, perceptions, and understandings of school-home connections and family engagement of four middle class Latin American families who have children in U.S. public schools. Because family engagement with schools correlates with student success, the participants’ perspectives were examined in depth. The study was guided by two major research questions and associated sub questions:
1. How do four middle class families from Latin America perceive that their child’s school makes efforts to connect with them?
a. What factors contribute to the development of connectedness between home and school for four middle class families from Latin America?
b. What factors contribute to the development of family engagement for four middle class families from Latin America?
2. What tensions are inherent in the interactions between schools and four middle class families from Latin America?
a. What tensions impede the development of connectedness between home and school for four middle class families from Latin America?
b. What tensions impede the development of family engagement for four middle class families from Latin America?
Data sources were open-ended and in-depth biographical interviews, informal conversations, observations, and collages.
There appears to be a paucity of qualitative research examining the perspectives of middle class Latin American immigrants. Therefore, the present case study enriches the current literature on Latin American families. The study was framed by critical theory and guided by the work of Freire (1998/2005) and Moll (Gonzalez et al., 2005). While the data indicated connectedness is especially important to the participants, the degree to which the schools connect with them is complex. The findings suggest that respect is a critical factor for school-home connections, and when families’ funds of knowledge are honored, their sense of connection and desire to engage with the school appear to be strengthened.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Family Perspectives on Home-School Connections and Family Engagement: A Case Study of Four Middle Class Latin American Families"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Dr. Harriet Bessette","Dr. Guichon Zong","Dr. Jo Williamson"],"dc:creator":["Clark, Janet Elizabeth Pierce"],"dc:date.available":["2011-01-14T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The purpose of this case study was to explore the context, perceptions, and understandings of school-home connections and family engagement of four middle class Latin American families who have children in U.S. public schools. Because family engagement with schools correlates with student success, the participants’ perspectives were examined in depth. The study was guided by two major research questions and associated sub questions:
1. How do four middle class families from Latin America perceive that their child’s school makes efforts to connect with them?
a. What factors contribute to the development of connectedness between home and school for four middle class families from Latin America?
b. What factors contribute to the development of family engagement for four middle class families from Latin America?
2. What tensions are inherent in the interactions between schools and four middle class families from Latin America?
a. What tensions impede the development of connectedness between home and school for four middle class families from Latin America?
b. What tensions impede the development of family engagement for four middle class families from Latin America?
Data sources were open-ended and in-depth biographical interviews, informal conversations, observations, and collages.
There appears to be a paucity of qualitative research examining the perspectives of middle class Latin American immigrants. Therefore, the present case study enriches the current literature on Latin American families. The study was framed by critical theory and guided by the work of Freire (1998/2005) and Moll (Gonzalez et al., 2005). While the data indicated connectedness is especially important to the participants, the degree to which the schools connect with them is complex. The findings suggest that respect is a critical factor for school-home connections, and when families’ funds of knowledge are honored, their sense of connection and desire to engage with the school appear to be strengthened.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/etd/433"],"dc:subject":["family engagement","funds of knowledge","Latin American","critical theory","Education"],"dc:title":["Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Family Perspectives on Home-School Connections and Family Engagement: A Case Study of Four Middle Class Latin American Families"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Teacher Leadership for Learning"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership (Ed.D)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:42:45Z"}