Preparing high-risk urban children and their families for

school:

Jacquelyn Vincson, Ph.D.Melissa J. Wilhelm, M.A.

Jacqueline Robinson

Results of the Pre-K to Kindergarten Follow-up Study

Purpose of the Study

To learn more about the experiences of

children and families in a high quality early education program

To learn about the transition process for these children from pre-k to elementary school

To learn about the academic trajectory for these children

Purpose of the Study

To improve program services, develop staff

trainings, and inform public policy work

To learn about parent perceptions of the school readiness of their child for elementary school

To assess child outcomes from their Head Start experiences through 3rd grade

Objectives:This study pursued several questions regarding

elementary school readiness of the children, including:

How can program best prepare children and families for the transition to kindergarten?

What are the obstacles to success in kindergarten?

How can parents be assisted and supported in preparing their children for kindergarten and their early school years?

Overview: Method

Study Design Parent Interviews Teacher Questionnaire School Data collected from schools

and academic partner – end of 1st year in kindergarten

Method and Process

Recruiting Parents (financial incentive)

Parent Interviewing (‘go to’ model) Teacher Questionnaire (multiple

outreach-interviews) School Data (multiple outreach for

report cards)

Participants

Great Response Rate!

One mother refused

Some portions of teacher surveys incomplete

Recruited

Received

Parent Interviews Fall

51 50 (98%)

Teacher Surveys

51 40 (78%)

Teacher Report Cards

51 39 (76%)

What We Learned Parents’ Experience with the Program Parent Involvement in their child’s

learning Transition Coordination Parents’ experiences with Kindergarten Children’s socialization Children with Special Needs Teacher’s Observations

Parents experience with the program Overall, parents report they are grateful to

the program and were thankful to have their child attend.

However, many parents had concrete suggestions for program development and enhancement.

Multiple themes emerged from these suggestions and experiences, that may be used to inform our decision making process…

Parents Involvement in Children’s Learning

Majority of parents reported being involved in their child’s learning.

Overall, parents report they are reading to their children, helping with homework, and are interested in their child’s learning.

Parents involvement in children’s learning The program gave parents the

message that they are their child’s 1st teacher Parent Quote:“I learned how to teach my child with

things I have at home. So you can self-love through hands on experience. I now know we don’t need expensive toys. We can learn letters from cereal boxes or riding past signs on the street.”

Parent Involvement in Children’s Learning

Majority of parents convey the positive impact their role may have on their child’s learning

They want the very best for their children

Many report feeling pressured by this responsibility.

Parent Involvement in Children’s Learning

These parents communicate concern for their lack of resources, identifying the many challenges and obstacles they face on a daily basis. Time Basic Needs

Overall, parents report they are aware of their challenges and are doing the best they can with what they have.

Parent Involvement in Children’s Learning

Many parents beat themselves up for inability to make ‘it all work’

Struggle between making dinner and reading a book. Parent quote:

“all of these learning ideas are really good, but what I really need is this…”

Concrete suggestions for implementing best practices

Transition to Kindergarten

Parents appear to be confused about kindergarten options.

Most report they were either unaware of classroom alternatives, or did not have a choice due to

circumstances such as financial or transportation issues.

Transition Issues

Parents report they are experiencing a high amount life stressors.

The amount of life stressors limits their options and makes it necessary that their child attends a school close to home.

Transition Issues

Some of our children’s parents have disabilities of their own.

These parents report feeling pressure to make the right decisions for their child- but up against multiple obstacles and

challenges.

Parent Experience with Kindergarten

Parents have suggestions on how to prepare for the kindergarten experience:

Parent Quote: …“take the children to play kindergarten for

a couple of hours in a special room. Say this is what you do there, you don’t take naps, you raise your hand, you have to sit still, & play homework- play kindergarten so they get it”

Parent Experiences with Kindergarten

For children who have older siblings in the home, the transition to kindergarten was much less complicated or stressful for the parent.

Parent quote: “I was prepared because I had

another one that went already. You know it was her that needed to be ready”

ParentExperiences with Kindergarten

As parents visit schools they report their children need to know more then ‘how to play’. 

Parent quote: “I think they need to have more structure,

learning to play is good, but when he went to kindergarten, he had to do spelling, basic arithmetic, and multiplication, he was basically on his own.” 

Children’s Socialization

Most parents report their child has made friends at school, but their child doesn’t socialize with these children outside of the classroom.

Children’s Socialization

Further, most of children’s social interactions are with children in the neighborhood or relatives, again pointing to parents being restricted to activities and that are close to their homes.

Teacher Surveys: Parent Participation

96% of parents picked up report cards

Teacher reports reflect parent reports

Parents report they would like to be involved with activities in their child’s school.

Parents identify work as being the primary reason they are unable to participate in school activities

Parent's Participation in School Activities

22%

72%

6%

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

More than otherparents

About the Sameas Other Parents

Less than OtherParents

Teacher Surveys: Attendance

66% of all children missed 7 days or less across the school year

Most parents attributed child’s absence from school to illness

Many parents specifically identified asthma as a cause

Number of absences during Kindergarten Year

30% 33%21%

9% 6%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

0-3 days 4-7 days 8-12 days 13-20 days >20 days

Percent of Children

Teacher Surveys

26% of OPF children’s readiness for kindergarten was below average or poor.

Almost half were viewed as being in line with their peers 28% were believed to be above average or excellent

Teacher Reports on Children’s Readiness for Kindergarten (beginning of the yr)

Poor/Not at all

Below Average

Average Above Average

Excellent

8% 18% 48% 23% 5%

Teacher Surveys

0 children were recommended for retention* 26% of OPF children’s readiness for 1st grade was viewed

as below average or poor. 40% were viewed as being in line with their peers Almost half were believed to be above average or excellent

Teacher Reports on Children’s Readiness for 1st Grade (end of the yr)Poor/Not

at allBelow

AverageAverage Above

AverageExcellent

5% 8% 40% 30% 18%

Teacher surveys Poor Below

Average Average Above Average Excellent

Literacy (2) 5% (14) 35% (19) 48% (5) 13% 0

Math (5) 13% (10) 25% (19) 48% (7) 18% 0

Beg

inni

ng o

f the

Y

ear

Rep

ort

Social Emotional

(6) 15% (7) 18% (19) 48% (9) 23% 0

Each cell details both the number of OPF children (in parenthesis) as well as the overall percentage of OPF children who were observed to fall in each respective level of functioning (Poor, Below Average, Average, Above Average, Excellent). Highlighted cells indicate positive movement for OPF children, as a group, across the school year.

Literacy 0 (4) 10% (18) 45% (13) 33% (5) 13%

Math 0 (5) 13% (17) 43% (14) 35% (4) 10%

End

of t

he Y

ear

R

epor

t

Social Emotional

(1) 3% (4) 10% (14) 35% (15) 38% (6) 15%

Teacher Surveys: Literacy

Literacy Skills at the Beginning of the Year:

40% of program children were described as poor or below average in Literacy skills.

61% of program children were described as possessing skills that were average or above.

Teacher Surveys

At the Beginning of the Year: 40% of children had Literacy skills described as poor

or below average. 61% of children had Literacy skills that were average or above.

38% of children had Math Skills described as poor or below average. 66% of children had Math skills described as average or above.

33% of children had social emotional skills described as that were poor or below average. 71% of children had Social Emotional skills described as average or above.

In each domain more than 60% displayed skills as average or above

Teacher Surveys

At the end of the Year:

10% of OPF children had Literacy skills described as poor or below average. 45% had Literacy skills described as average. And 46% had skills described as ABOVE AVERAGE OR EXCELLENT.

13% of OPF children had Math skills described as poor or below average. 43% of OPF children had Math skills described as average. And 45% had skills described as ABOVE AVERAGE OR EXELLENT.

13% of OPF children had social emotional skills described as poor or below average. 35% of OPF children had Social Emotional skills described. And 53% had skills describes as ABOVE AVERAGE OR EXCELLENT.

Teacher Surveys

As a group, kindergarten teachers reported those children who began the school year with skill levels below their peers, were equipped with strategies that allowed them to ‘catch up’ or ‘move beyond’ their peers by the end of the kindergarten year.

Special Needs Only 2 of 33 children were Identified as having a

‘special need & a formal plan’ by Kindergarten Teachers

4 teachers reported they “did not know if the child had a special need formal plan”.

7 Teachers did not respond to the question

12 of the 50 (recruited) children were identified as having special needs (and a formal plan) while enrolled

Schools Attended

The 40 children transitioning from program transitioned into total of 29 schools.

Of these 29 schools 13 (45%) were on an academic Watch List (indicating lower quality)

Schools Attended

9 of the children who transitioned from the program, attended a school with a child from their cohort.

Overall, 21 children who transitioned went to a school listed on the Academic Watch List.

Implications: Parent Involvement

The Program has helped to provide concrete examples that assist parents in helping to encourage their children’s learning at home.

Consistently conveying the message that expensive toys or materials are not necessary is powerful for parents.

How can we expand these powerful messages further to assist parents?

Implications: Parent Involvement

How often do we ask about parents about resources they have?

How often do we ask parents about resources they need?

Implications: Transition Coordination

What are the alternatives to issues associated with transportation to school?

How can we ensure parents receive the materials and information they need to understand the transition process? (Expanded Parent Transition Coordinators

role)

Implications: Transition Coordination

What resources can we provide to help parents identify & alleviate stressors?

How can we increase networks & partnerships in the community to assist parents?

Implications: Transition

We know one of the greatest mediating factors that points to a child’s academic success is the quality of the school they transition.

How can we ensure our children transition to quality schools after leaving our program? Empower parents to seek HIGH QUALITY programs

Implications: Parent’s Experiences with Kindergarten

Questions to Consider

• What must be in place for a parent to feel comfortable initiating communication with school and their child’s teacher?

What is needed to increase partnerships with elementary schools that will match children’s learning needs?

Implications: Parent’s Experiences with Kindergarten

What is needed to provide parents with the concrete information to become aware & involved with children’s transition to kindergarten?

Data Analysis

Regarding Kindergarten data:

There is not 1 uniform reporting tool for kindergarten outcomes.

This has limited our ability to provide an overall view of children’s progress through a universal measure.

Next Steps Obtain school data from database housed at our

university partner Link children’s outcomes to their elementary

academic performance across 3 years Identify trends in children’s outcomes to develop

interventions that will support children’s learning in pre-k and extend through elementary school

Develop “triage” systems (cognitive and social-emotional) that will support

intervention models