Parents’ Value of their Children Learning about Agriculture in School

Amelia Miller; Brian K. Warnick; Debra M. Spielmaker; Michael L. Pate; Rose Judd-Murray; Max L. Longhurst

doi:10.5032/jae.v66i1.2773

Authors

Amelia Miller Utah State University https://orcid.org/0009-0000-7344-484X
Brian K. Warnick Utah State University https://orcid.org/0009-0001-8608-1897
Debra M. Spielmaker Utah State University https://orcid.org/0009-0001-7086-6489
Michael L. Pate Utah State University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2904-5347
Rose Judd-Murray Utah State University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2045-1015
Max L. Longhurst Utah State University https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3227-800X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.v66i1.2773

Keywords:

Agricultural literacy, Agricultural Education, school-based agricultural education, Parent Perceptions, K-12 Education, Child Development, Agriculture, Agriculture in the Classroom, Career and Technical Education

Abstract

It is commonly held that parents have a profound impact on child development. Decades of research investigated the ways parents, the community, and school staff interact to foster student learning during kindergarten through twelfth grade education. Agriculture provides for daily needs through the growth, harvest, and processing of food, fiber, fuel, and forestry products. This research sought to understand the level of importance parents place on their children learning about agriculture in school. A 26-question survey was distributed to a nationally representative sample of parents having at least one child in K-12 education within the United States. Results of this study indicate parents found it important, even very important, for students to learn about many agricultural topics in school. Factors historically associated with parent perceptions and support of student learning proved to not significantly impact this indicated level of importance. Therefore, further research is needed to understand what impacts parents’ value of their students learning about agricultural topics in school. The conclusions of this study are of primary importance to entities conducting agricultural education outreach such as Agriculture in the Classroom programs, Extension, Career and Technical Education, agricultural industry organizations, and others interested in agricultural literacy.

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