Abstract
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.
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Acknowledgements
The research reported here was supported by the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, through Grant #R305N160016 to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not represent views of the Institute or the U.S. Department of Education.
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Sheridan, S.M., Koziol, N., Witte, A.L. et al. Longitudinal and Geographic Trends in Family Engagement During the Pre-kindergarten to Kindergarten Transition. Early Childhood Educ J 48, 365–377 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-019-01008-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-019-01008-5