One of the top reasons immigrants give for coming to the United States is a desire to provide better educational and economic opportunities for their families and children. Immigrants voice this sentiment regardless of their educational level, financial standing, or country of origin. Immigrant children express the same intentions about education and being successful in life as do non-immigrant children. Fuligni (2001) studied the educational aspirations of 10th- and 12th-grade students of immigrant parents and found that 86.9 percent of them say that "going to college is necessary for what I want to do in the future," "I need to get good grades in school in order to get a good job as an adult," and "doing well in school is the best way for me to succeed as an adult" (p. 61). Immigrant children, however, often experience cultural and linguistic differences as well as struggles with differences in school systems and academic programs. In addition, they frequently face tremendous psychological challenges as outsiders. These children may need more help at home and in school so that they can be successful. The most important thing parents can do to help children reach their potential is to get involved in their education. Research on achievement gaps has shown that students' home environments play a substantial role in academic performance (Schaller, Roch, & Barshinger, 2006).
