A call to commitment : fathers' involvement in their children's learning.

There is overwhelming evidence that a parent's involvement in a child's education makes a very positive difference. In the past, often an unstated assumption was made that 'parent involvement' meant 'mothers' involvement.' New research shows that the involvement of both mother and father is important. Given this finding, together with the lack of previous work on expanding fathers' involvement, this report describes new opportunities in this area. Research has shown that fathers, no matter what their income or cultural background, can play a critical role in their children's education. When fathers are involved, their children learn more, perform better in school, and exhibit healthier behavior. Even when fathers do not share a home with their children, their active involvement can have a lasting and positive impact. (Author abstract)