In these trying economic times, it is common for parents to express that they want better for their own children than what they had for themselves.

Parents who foster school connectedness realize that education pays. It pays in higher earnings and lower unemployment rates.The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Current Population Survey shows the 2008 annual averages for weekly earnings for full-time wage and salary workers persons age 25 and over and unemployment rates based on level of education.

Students who feel more connected to school are more likely to have positive educational as well as health outcomes. More and more parents are realizing that education pays. The way to help make it pay is to become involved in their children’s education and to promote school connectedness.

Since 2002, Cortland Area Communities That Care has been gathering data to track youth risky behaviors and factors that help protect students from them. An increasing number of studies are suggesting that enhancing protective factors that help young people avoid risky behaviors may have a greater impact than typical interventions that address specific health risk behaviors themselves.

Among these protective factors, school connectedness is especially promising.It is the student-held belief that adults and peers in the school support and care about them as individuals in addition to caring about their learning. It is one of the few factors that not only positively influences social, health, and educational results for adolescents, but it does it consistently.

However, according to ACT for Youth, funded by the New York State Department of Health, research has shown that between 40% and 60% of high school students feel disconnected from school and this disengagement increases with each year of age and grade level achieved.

Eric Schaps, president of Developmental Studies Center in Oakland, California, purports that “as children who have healthy bonds with their parents want to emulate them, the same can happen when children form bonds with their teachers and schools. They will strive to achieve the school's goals.”  

The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health found school connectedness to be the strongest protective factor for both boys and girls (more than 36,000 in 7-12 grade) in reducing substance use, school absenteeism, early sexual initiation, violence, and risk of unintentional injury (such as not wearing seat belts, drinking and driving).

Following parent-family connectedness, school connectedness also was second in importance as a protective factor against disordered eating, emotional distress, and even suicidal thoughts and attempts.

A strong relationship also has been demonstrated between school connectedness and school attendance, staying in school longer; higher grades and test scores. Those who do academically well are less likely to engage in risky behaviors. Schools reporting higher levels of connectedness also report less violence and vandalism, lower drop-out rates, and higher academic performance and educational motivation overall. 

School connectedness works best when families, schools, and communities work hand-in-hand to establish environments that facilitate the healthy development of children and adolescents. Most schools offer various parent education programs and multiple opportunities for families to be actively involved in their children’s academic and school life. Schools are generally responsive to parent requests. Checking out what their children’s schools offer in this regard is the first step in active parenting.

Parents are crucial in working with schools and communities to make school connectedness occur for their children. It is clear that education is one important route to the better life that parents want for their children. Helping their children connect to school is the route to engaging their children in education that can lead to that better life.

Jeanette Dippo is a retired Cortland City Schools health educator and wellness coordinator, adjunct instructor of health at SUNY Cortland and a member of CACTC.