Bangladeshi, Indian, and Pakistani Parents’ Perceptions of Their Children’s Academic Achievement in Southwest Florida

Bangladeshis, Indians, and Pakistanis (BIP) are among the highest educational and financial achievers in the United States with unique cultural and behavioral patterns. Despite the significant signs of economic and educational achievement, BIP individuals have remained an understudied population. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the experiences and perceptions of BIP parents via semi-structured interviews to explore key factors to parental involvement behaviors in children’s academic achievement. The data collection process included semi-structured interviews, observations, and field notes, in order to compose a rich narrative description from the findings and the researchers’ interpretations of the phenomenon. The data were incorporated into the thick, rich descriptions of the perceptions and experiences of the participants. After coding and using thematic analysis, three themes emerged: parents’ behavioral trends, parents’ role and family’s cultural values. The implications will help stakeholders and policy makers to select or develop family-school programs that further encourage this group to be involved in their children’s education.