Which of the following is a common barrier to parent participation in schools?

Conflicts with work schedules serve as a significant barrier to parent participation in schools because many parents are required to work during the same hours that school events or meetings are taking place. This scheduling conflict prevents them from attending important activities, such as parent-teacher conferences, workshops, and other school functions. As a result, even if parents may be interested and willing to participate, their job commitments restrict their ability to engage with the school community effectively.

Other barriers, while they can also affect participation, do not broadly impact parents in the same systematic way. For example, lack of interest might apply to some parents, but it is not as universally relevant as work conflicts. Proximity to the school can be a factor, but not all parents live far away, making this less of an overarching concern. Privacy concerns might arise regarding sensitive information, but they typically do not prevent participation in the same tangible way that conflicting work schedules do. Therefore, work schedule conflicts are a predominant and common issue faced by many families when it comes to engaging with their child's school.