Longitudinal and Geographic Trends in Family Engagement During the Pre-kindergarten to Kindergarten Transition

The transition to kindergarten is foundational for children’s future school performance and families’ relationships with the educational system. Despite its well-documented benefits, few studies have explored family engagement across the pre-Kindergarten (pre-K) to kindergarten transition nor consid...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Early childhood education journal 2020-05, Vol.48 (3), p.365-377
Main Authors: Sheridan, Susan M., Koziol, Natalie, Witte, Amanda L., Iruka, Iheoma, Knoche, Lisa L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Communication
Education
Family Environment
Family Involvement
Family School Relationship
Geographic Location
Geography
Individual Characteristics
Interpersonal Communication
Kindergarten
Learning and Instruction
Parent Background
Parent participation
Parent Role
Parent Teacher Cooperation
Preschool Children
Preschool education
Rural Urban Differences
School Readiness
Sociology
Sociology of Education
Student Adjustment
Transitions
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The transition to kindergarten is foundational for children’s future school performance and families’ relationships with the educational system. Despite its well-documented benefits, few studies have explored family engagement across the pre-Kindergarten (pre-K) to kindergarten transition nor considered the role of geographic context during this period. This study examined trajectories of family engagement across the pre-K to kindergarten transition, and identified whether engagement differs for families in rural versus urban settings. Participants were 248 parents of children who participated in publicly funded pre-K programs and transitioned 1 year later into kindergarten. Home-based involvement increased from pre-K through kindergarten. School-based involvement increased during pre-K and decreased through the end of kindergarten. Structural and relational communication remained stable during pre-K and decreased through the end of kindergarten. Compared to urban parents, rural parents reported less home-based involvement, structural communication, and relational communication. Implications for practice and policy are explored.
ISSN:1082-3301
1573-1707
DOI:10.1007/s10643-019-01008-5