National profiles of school readiness skills for Head Start children: An investigation of stability and change

    Authors

    C. M. McWayne; D. L. Hahs-Vaughn; K. Cheung;L. E. G. Wright

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Early Childhood Res. Q.

    Keywords

    Head Start; School readiness; Profiles; Person-oriented; PERSON-CENTERED PERSPECTIVES; EARLY-CHILDHOOD; FAMILY INVOLVEMENT; CLUSTER-ANALYSIS; PRESCHOOL; OUTCOMES; COMPETENCES; MOTHER; CARE; KINDERGARTEN; Education & Educational Research; Psychology, Developmental

    Abstract

    Among a nationally representative sample of 2336 Head Start children, patterns of school readiness were compared at the beginning and end of children's first preschool year, and predictors of stability and change across readiness profiles were examined. The present study documented that although the majority of children remain in a qualitatively similar school readiness profile across their first year in Head Start, 20% of children move to a qualitatively different profile over the school year, reflecting both improvements and declines in functioning. Child and family attributes (e.g., child age, ELL status, maternal education, and family structure), as well as contextual factors (e.g., teacher education and experience, parenting style, and parent involvement) were significant predictors of both profile stability and change. Given that we have little understanding about what factors practice or policy can manipulate to improve school readiness, these findings shed light on what we might do to promote school readiness and prevent declines in functioning over time. Thus, findings from this study provide a population- and pattern-based perspective of Head Start children's strengths and needs, relevant for informing both individual and systems level change in Head Start programs across the nation. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

    Journal Title

    Early Childhood Research Quarterly

    Volume

    27

    Issue/Number

    4

    Publication Date

    1-1-2012

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    668

    Last Page

    683

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000312176400009

    ISSN

    0885-2006

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