Parental and Guardian Involvement in Learners’ Academic Follow-Up in Tongkay Elementary School

This study investigated the relationship between parental involvement and the academic progress of 80 learners at Tongkay Elementary School. Utilizing a descriptive-correlational research design, the study profiled the socio-economic status of guardians, assessed levels of academic follow-up, and identified prevalent barriers to engagement. Findings revealed a demographic characterized by significant challenges: 85% of respondents were female houseparents, 76.3% possessed a high school education or lower, and 51.3% earned below ₱5,000 monthly. Results indicated that while guardians demonstrate high commitment to "hardware" support—such as providing school supplies (WM=4.31) and attending PTA meetings (WM=4.21)—there is a noticeable lag in instructional collaboration and habitual monitoring of school communications. Statistical analysis using Spearman's Rho confirmed a highly significant relationship (p = 0.000) between all dimensions of parental involvement and student academic progress, particularly in performance tasks and written works. Notably, while educational attainment and occupation did not significantly influence involvement, monthly household income emerged as a critical "gatekeeper" for school-based communication (rho = 0.318) and attendance (rho = 0.286). The study identified a "triple threat" of barriers hindering effective engagement: grueling agricultural work schedules, a disconnect between parental education and complex modern curricula (specifically in Math and English), and severe digital/financial resource constraints. To address these issues, the researcher developed the Parental Engagement Enhancing Program (PEEP). This evidence-based output introduces localized interventions, including "Project BRIDGE" (bilingual instructional toolkits), "Connect-Hubs" for internet access, and "Agri-Flexible Monitoring Schemes" to align school support with the community's farming cycles. The study concluded that democratizing academic support through cost-free, simplified, and flexible home-school protocols is essential for sustaining student academic growth in marginalized rural settings.