Abstract
As students transition from elementary school to middle school, and onto high school, parental involvement declines. Yet, research shows that parents can be a source of promoting academic excellence for students. However, with limited parental involvement in students’ academics, students tend to fall behind which results in them having to re-take core classes such as Algebra 1. Some students take Algebra 1 multiple times before passing the course. Thus, these students may benefit from the additional support and involvement of their parents. Students, parents and teachers working together as a team can promote academic excellence for each individual student. This study uses a quantitative data in the collection of signed and returned grade reports for 90 students in three Algebra 1 repeater classes as a means to determine if there is a correlation between the number of returned signed grade reports to the percent of completed homework assignments and the student’s final overall grade. The students were given grade reports on a pre-determined interval of weekly, bi-monthly or monthly for the first semester of the academic school year. Varying the distribution frequencies and if a correlation does exist, then which group of students would have the better percent of completed homework assignments and final grades? Grade reports opened an increased line of communication between the student, parent and teacher. Individual printed grade reports allowed students and their parents to see a very detailed report of their grade and helped the parents to be more aware of their child’s academic progress. Each of the groups had strengths in the data collected. Group A had the best average return rate, while Group B had the highest final class grade averages, and Group C had the highest rate of completed of homework assignments, indicating that increased communication at any interval could contribute to the academic success of the students. It appears that bi-monthly reports allow for an adequate amount of time to see how a student is progressing in the class as well as provide sufficient time for the student to make up a reasonable amount of work when necessary. Grade reports were a great form of written communication to help keep parents well informed about their child’s academic progress.