In general, African American males lag behind their White counterparts with regards to high school graduation, college completion and beyond. African American males residing in low resourced communities are especially vulnerable for such disadvantage. Existing literature suggests that parental factors and interactions can help to promote youth…

This is the fourth in a series of six papers from the Center on Education Policy exploring issues related to students' motivation to learn. This paper examines findings from research about the impact of various family background and cultural factors on student motivation, as well as the role of parental beliefs, attitudes, and actions in fostering…

This study examined the developmental effects of early parental intrinsic and extrinsic motivational strategies on mathematics achievement scores obtained from White students compared to underrepresented minority students. A latent growth curve model was fit to data from the Longitudinal Study of American Youth (LSAY) with mathematics achievement…

The current study examined the relationships among parenting styles experienced in childhood, anxiety, motivation, and academic success in college students. Results suggested that fathers' authoritative parenting was related to decreases, whereas mothers' authoritarian parenting was related to increases, in college students' anxiety. Further,…

Two studies investigated the relationship between parental support, students' motivational orientations, and students' emotions during homework. It was assumed that intrinsically motivated students would feel better when parents provided much learning autonomy, while extrinsically motivated students would experience more positive affect when…

The aim of the study was to examine the influences and motivations on which students base their choice of career. 348 young people aged 14-18 years completed a questionnaire and took part in an interview concerning their choice of career. It was found the greatest influence on their choice of career was their parents, followed by their teachers.…

This paper examines specific elements of a much wider study that attempted to ascertain the reasons for under-achievement in a large comprehensive school in the Welsh valleys. Specific Academic performance at General Certificate of Secondary Education (G.C.S.E.) level was poor in Randall, the main case school, in relation to other schools with…

Research indicates that lower levels of school commitment may be one potential outcome of policy initiatives such as high-stakes testing and exit exams. Such outcomes may lead these policy initiatives to have unintended consequences for students, particularly racial or ethnic minority students. This study examines whether race or ethnicity…

Physical education can be a powerful influence on promoting youth physical activity (PA). This review describes correlates of youth PA, examines how these factors have been targeted in physical education (PE) based interventions, and makes suggestions for PE pedagogy to promote PA. Perceived physical competence, enjoyment of PA, intention, direct…

Explores the context of family beliefs and child-rearing practices with regard to how African American families, in a sample from a family-center project, prepare their children for success in school. Extended family and community supports, racial socialization, and family support are discussed. (SLD)

Using latent variable path analysis with partial least squares (LVPLS), the study examines the pathways between parenting practices and children's motivational orientation toward school work over the transition to middle school. Greater external control and lack of guidance by parents in the 5th-grade year were related to children's poorer…

Profiles a Puerto Rican family who participated in a cross-cultural ethnographic study of family influence on children's school achievement. This low-income, single-parent household reflects broader Puerto Rican cultural values, including the influence of the extended family, in its support for school achievement. (SLD)

The report summarizes results of an evaluative study of selected state-funded elementary and secondary school programs for less commonly taught languages (LCTLs) in California. Fourteen projects at 19 school sites received a maximum of 4 years of funding to offer instruction in Japanese, Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese), Korean, and Russian. The…