Out of sight, out of mind? Bringing Indigenous parent-boarding school communication to light

Despite numerous reviews, strategies and programs, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students still have lower academic achievement levels than non-Indigenous Australian students (as measured by NAPLAN). Educational research suggests that parental involvement in their children’s education significantly contributes to improved academic, social, personal and professional outcomes for students, parents, and educators alike. However, many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from remote and very remote communities are educated at boarding schools or colleges in larger cities or regional areas, with a recent push to expand this. The limited ability for parental involvement for such students has largely been ignored, yet requires detailed consideration. The purpose of this paper is to highlight this need by defining and exploring the barriers to, and potential improvements for, parental involvement and the role of parent- school communication in educational outcomes. The paper is written as part of a PhD research project that considers the importance of cultural and educational contexts in parental involvement and communication, especially for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families.