Study shows capital at home matters more than capital at school

A study published in Research in Social Stratification and Mobility finds that family social capital, described as the bonds between parents and children, such as trust, open lines of communication, and active engagement in a child's academic life, is a more significant factor than the qualities of the school itself with regard to a child's academic achievement.

Using data from the National Longitudinal Education study and structural equation modeling, researchers examined whether the social capital of the home and school social capital (such as extracurricular activities and the ability of teachers to address the needs of individual students) have differing effects on children's academic achievement. Results show that capital from each context promotes achievement, but that students with high levels of family social capital but low levels of school social capital performed better in school than students with high levels of school social capital and low family social capital. Family social capital continues to have a stronger influence on children's academic achievement, even after controlling for socioeconomic status and other demographic characteristics.