Congruence of Parent and Teacher Educational Expectations and Youths' Academic Outcomes

Chelsea Smith, University of Texas at Austin
Aprile Benner, University of Texas at Austin

Educational achievement is determined by multiple influences and has implications for students’ later life outcomes. Our study highlights factors that support educational competence among high schoolers using ELS data. We assess independent and conjoint influences of parent and teacher educational expectations on adolescents’ achievement, and possible pathways linking these processes. Specifically, we conducted path analysis in an SEM framework to examine the association between the predictors (adult expectations), mediators (parent, teacher, home-school, and youth processes), and academic outcomes. Preliminary results indicated that both parent and teacher expectations were significantly related to home processes, school processes, and home-school connections as well as better academic outcomes. Direct effects of teacher expectations were more than twice that of parent expectations, net all modeled variables. Multiple group analyses will explore variation by congruent/dissonant adult expectations. Findings will suggest multiple entry points for academic intervention and prevention efforts that promote educational success for all students.