(HENDERSON) - Teachers are gearing up for the rest of the school year. At an increasing number of schools, that involves members of the community and parents. NC State University research found that parent involvement can make more of a difference in educational success than the quality of schools.

Henderson Collegiate Charter School is one example of a school that involves many people in its educational process. Teacher Caitlin Dietrich says the approach is helpful to students, especially for those with fewer resources at home.

"With low-income students, the problems for education is really just so much more complex, so you have to reach into each aspect of life to really make the impact that they need."

Henderson Collegiate recently held a Parent Pride Night where students were invited to share special skills or talents they've learned in the first half of the school year.

Research from the University of New Hampshire found that school systems would need to increase their per-student spending by more than $1,000 to achieve the same results gained in parental involvement. Dietrich, who came into education through the Teach for American program, says it's a fact she sees played out daily at her school.

"So it proves effective for everyone. As important as it is everywhere, we find that it's even more essential with our students because they come to us with a deficit of resources."

At Henderson Collegiate and schools around the state, parents are participating in after-school programs and community gardens and as classroom volunteers.

More information on the NCSU study is online at news.ncsu.edu.

(Courtesy, Stephanie Carson, NC News Service)