Head Start impact on parent educational practices and the influence of household risk

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Amanda C. Barnes (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
Advisor
Stephanie Irby Coard

Abstract: School readiness research has indicated parents play salient roles in promoting school readiness skills for their children. However contextual factors such as household risk and quality early care and education programs influence how parents engage in educational practices at home. Quality early care and education settings catering to low-income families can be a protective factor to help parents work to reduce the school readiness gap for their children. This study was designed to investigate how participating in Head Start may impact parents’ engagement in educational practices. Drawing on data from the Head Start Impact Study, the current study examined a nationally representative sample of 1,751 low-income parents with Head Start eligible three-year old children. The current study hypothesized that parents with a child enrolled in Head Start would engage in more educational practices than parents who had a child in another early care arrangement. The study also hypothesized that household risk levels (low, moderate, and high) would moderate the relationship between Head Start participation and parents’ educational practices. Specifically, differences in the frequency of educational practices between household risk level homes would be present. Results indicated that participation in Head Start did have significant effect on parent educational practices and parents with a child enrolled in Head Start engaged more frequently in educational practices at home. However, findings revealed household risk did not moderate Head Start’s impact on parents. Implications for future research are discussed.

Additional Information

Publication
Thesis
Language: English
Date: 2018
Keywords
Head Start, Parenting Practices, School Readiness
Subjects
Education, Preschool $x Parent participation $z United States
Low-income parents $z United States
Head Start programs $z United States
Readiness for school $z United States
Home and school $z United States

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