Parent involvement in a statewide preschool program for children at-risk for academic failure Investigators Yash Bhagwanji, Ph.D. Maria Vasquez, Ph.D. Elena Webb, B.S. College of Education

Importance of topic Importance of topic Theoretical support Theoretical support Identified as best practice Identified as best practice Endorsed through policy Endorsed through policy Statement of problem Statement of problem Anecdotal reports Anecdotal reports Challenges in research Challenges in research Top-down decisions Top-down decisions

Research Questions Family demographics Direct / indirect relationships relationships Main & interaction effects Parent involvement involvement Academic readiness

Method Subjects – all preschool children enrolled at a state program – all deemed “at risk” for academic failure – from FY 2003/04 through FY 2005/06 Subjects – all preschool children enrolled at a state program – all deemed “at risk” for academic failure – from FY 2003/04 through FY 2005/06 Settings – public schools across a Midwest state Settings – public schools across a Midwest state

Method, continued Instrument – Teacher completed student records Instrument – Teacher completed student records Procedures – archival data obtained with permission from state officials Procedures – archival data obtained with permission from state officials Analysis – SPSS; various statistical analysis Analysis – SPSS; various statistical analysis

Independent and dependent variables Independent variables Family income Family structure Family ethnicity Primary language at home Health of child Age of child Gender of child Dependent variables P-T conferences Enrichment activities at home Classroom activities Field trips Parent education Other activities Kindergarten readiness

Some preliminary findings – Significant main effects Consistent findings Consistent findings The higher the family income  the higher the involvement in parent- teacher conferences, classroom activities, and field trips The higher the family income  the higher the involvement in parent- teacher conferences, classroom activities, and field trips Compared to two-parent families, single-parent families were less involved in all opportunities Compared to two-parent families, single-parent families were less involved in all opportunities

Significant main effects, continued Families who primarily spoke a non- English language at home were less involved in field trips Families who primarily spoke a non- English language at home were less involved in field trips Families who primarily spoke Spanish at home were more involved in parent education activities Families who primarily spoke Spanish at home were more involved in parent education activities

Significant main effects, continued All non-White families were less involved in parent-teacher conferences and field trips compared to White families All non-White families were less involved in parent-teacher conferences and field trips compared to White families Compared to boys, families of girls were less involved in P-T conferences, at an odds ratio between.840 and.918 Compared to boys, families of girls were less involved in P-T conferences, at an odds ratio between.840 and.918

Next steps Continue with main effects Continue with main effects Investigate interaction effects Investigate interaction effects Examine relationship among family demographics, parent involvement, and kindergarten readiness Examine relationship among family demographics, parent involvement, and kindergarten readiness

Interpretation of data Differences and arbitrariness of parent involvement opportunities provided by schools Differences and arbitrariness of parent involvement opportunities provided by schools Multicultural, cross-cultural communication, and other perspectives Multicultural, cross-cultural communication, and other perspectives “What does this mean for needed changes?” “What does this mean for needed changes?”

Implications Policy Policy Schools Schools Communities Communities Future research Future research

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