Theses and Dissertations Collection

Previous research shows a strong correlation between socio-economic status and academic achievement. Annette Lareau (2003) proposes the parenting practice concerted cultivation gives profound advantages to the children who are raised under this framework. Lareau uses qualitative research to show how concerted cultivation gives children an upper hand in the educational system. Parents that raise their children under the guidelines of concerted cultivation appear to be in the middle and upper class. Using data from the Parent and Family Involvement survey portion of the National Household of Education Survey of 2012, the current study quantitatively tests Lareau’s theory to see if parental expectations for student’s achievement are affected by gender, parent involvement and social class. The results show that parental expectations are different among males and females. The more the parent is involved in the child’s academic career, more is expected from the child. The higher the social class, the higher expectations the parents hold.