Does parental involvement improve learning outcomes of children? Evidence from India

In recent decades, parental involvement has gained attention to address the learning crisis faced by children in the Global South. This paper examines whether parental involvement improves learning outcomes of children in India, with a focus on those enrolled in government schools. Using data from the India Human Development Survey (2011–12) and employing ordinary least squares and instrumental variable regression, we find that parental involvement is positively associated with learning outcomes. Children perform better when parents attend parent-teacher association meetings, discuss schoolwork with teachers, and supervise homework. We highlight two potential mechanisms underlying these findings: reduced school absenteeism and increased time spent on homework. Notably, learning outcomes of children in government schools improve more with parental involvement. However, involvement is lower among government school children and parents with lower socio-economic status, which may contribute to achievement gaps. These findings call for action from policymakers to address this disparity.