School-Immigrant Family-Community Collaboration Practices - Similarities and Differences

Oct 15, 2026

The study compares school-immigrant family-community collaboration practices across six dimensions of Epstein’s influence model (2001) by surveying 54 stakeholders. Kruskal-Wallis analyses identify notable group differences in decision-making practices and at-home learning. Teaching experience correlates positively with communication, volunteering, parenting, and decision making, while children’s grade level correlates with parenting. Although practices follow Epstein’s involvement theory, they remain weak, with no significant differences between groups regarding overall use. Findings are discussed through recent scholarship with implications and directions for future research.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages18

Reading Time45 min

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Abstract

Review of the Literature: SIFC Collaboration

The Challenges of SIFC Collaboration

School-Immigrant Family-Community Collaboration Practices: Similarities and Differences Khaoula Boulaamane & Yamina Bouchamma Laval University Abstract We compared school-immigrant family-community collaboration practices based on the six dimensions of Epstein’s influence model (2001). These three groups of stakeholders (N = 54) participated in this study by answering a questionnaire on their collaboration practices. Kruskall-Wallis analyses revealed a notable difference between the three groups with regard to decision-making practices and at-home learning. A positive correlation was found between the number of years of teaching experience in the school and communication, volunteering, parenting, and decision making, as well as between the child’s grade level and parenting. Results show that although the collaboration practices followed Epstein’s involvement theory, they remained weak, with no significant difference between the three groups in terms of their use. Our findings are discussed in light of recent literature and their practical implications and avenues for future research are proposed to better understand and improve the conditions favoring school-immigrant family-community collaboration. Keywords: school, immigrant families, community, practices, collaboration Immigration is a reality of human history and not without its difficulties (UNICEF, 2017), which calls upon school systems to respond to the needs of all (UNESCO, 2018). Although newly arrived students are formally included in education programs, their exclusion persists, and their adaptation is a long process (UNESCO, 2019). Québec knows this reality all too well as it is now home to a significant number of immigrants of different origins (Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Diversité et de l’Inclusion [MIDI], 2017), which is steadily increasing, thus augmenting the ethnocultural and linguistic diversity of the students in this province’s schools (Mc Andrew & Bakhshaei, 2016). Furthermore, the situation is even more critical for immigrant youth living outside of the Montréal area, where immigration is relatively more recent (Vatz-Laaroussi, 2011). Over 20 years ago, the Ministère de l’Éducation du Québec (MEQ, 1998) introduced its Politique d’intégration scolaire et d’éducation interculturelle to address the challenges brought on by the integration of immigrant-origin students and the importance of collaboration between the school, the family, and the community, as front-line stakeholders. On the latter aspect, Québec also introduced its competence reference guide (Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport du Québec [MELS], 2008) establishing the school-family-community (SFC) partnership in actions related to several competencies, with no mention of ethnocultural diversity (Lambert & Bouchamma, 2019; Observatoire sur la Formation à la Diversité et l’Équité [OFDE]), 2018). Since then, the Ministry has modified its budget allocation in favor of intercultural education and the integration and achievement of immigrant students, with a review of allocations, services and support structures, and better support for school-immigrant family-community (SIFC) collaboration (Ministère de l’Éducation et de l’Enseignement supérieur [MÉÉS], 2019). That said, what are the collaboration practices of these educators, social actors, and families in the context of immigration, and what are the differences and similarities between these groups in terms of their collaboration practices? Review of the Literature: SIFC Collaboration In recent years, many education systems in both North America and Europe have begun singing the praises of collaboration between education and social advocates (Maubant & Leclerc, 2008) and have introduced several specific actions to ensure the commitment of the different parties in terms of equity, inclusion, and quality in education (UNESCO, 2018), as well as to encourage parents’ participation and provide services adapted f

FAQs

What framework does the study use to assess collaboration practices?

The study uses the six dimensions of Epstein’s influence model (2001) to evaluate school-immigrant family-community collaboration practices.

What differences did the analysis find between the stakeholder groups?

Kruskal-Wallis analyses show notable differences across groups in decision-making practices and at-home learning.

How are teaching experience and grade level related to collaboration outcomes?

More years of teaching experience correlate with communication, volunteering, parenting, and decision making. Children’s grade level correlates with parenting.

Oct 15, 2026

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