Semester of Graduation
Summer 2026
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education in Secondary and Middle Grades Education
Department
Secondary and Middle Grades Education - Bagwell College of Education
Committee Chair/First Advisor
Dr. Belinda Edwards
Second Advisor
Dr. Raynice Jean-Sigur
Third Advisor
Dr. Beth Marks
Abstract
Chronic absenteeism continues to be a growing concern in high schools, particularly in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic. Although family involvement has been widely studied in elementary and middle schools, less is known about how families and mathematics teachers experience school-based family involvement at the high school level. This qualitative case study explored those perspectives at a rural high school in Northwest Georgia. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with five families and five upper-level mathematics teachers, and a focus group was conducted with eight mathematics teachers. Interview and focus group transcripts were analyzed using structural and focused coding to identify patterns across participant responses. Four findings emerged from the data. Communication served as the foundation for school-based family involvement, while accountability and expectations at home influenced student attendance. Participants also described emotional experiences as shaping students’ engagement in mathematics, and the rural setting as both a strength for building relationships and a challenge because of structural barriers. Overall, families emphasized the importance of timely communication and opportunities to work alongside schools in supporting their children. By centering the voices of families and mathematics teachers, this study provides insight into strengthening school-family partnerships that support student attendance and engagement in mathematics.