scholarly journals What is Parent Engagement in Early Learning? Depends Who You Ask

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 747-760
Author(s):  
Deborah Gross ◽  
Amie F. Bettencourt ◽  
Kathryn Taylor ◽  
Lucine Francis ◽  
Kelly Bower ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Parent Engagement ◽  
Urban School ◽  
Early Learning ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
District Leaders ◽  
School Partnerships ◽  
Qualitative Descriptive ◽  
Low Income Families

Abstract Objectives Parent engagement in early learning has historically been defined quite broadly and it is unclear whether those designing, implementing, evaluating, or participating in parent engagement initiatives conceptualize parent engagement in the same way. Lack of consensus could contribute to poor quality of parent-school partnerships and reliance on parent engagement measures and strategies that lack meaning and utility. We explored and compared definitions and characteristics of parent engagement in early learning across multiple stakeholders in one urban school district serving predominantly low-income, African American, and Latinx families. Methods Using a qualitative descriptive design, we individually interviewed 63 parents (n = 23), teachers (n = 8), early childhood staff (n = 8), district leaders (n = 7), and community leaders (n = 8) to understand how each defined parent engagement in early learning and the characteristics they believed were indicative of an engaged parent. Results Nine different definitions were described; the majority centering on parents’ responsibilities for ensuring engagement. We found wide differences within and across stakeholder groups in how parent engagement is defined and operationalized. Conclusions There was little consensus in how parent engagement was conceptualized, suggesting there may be different working models for how stakeholders believe parent engagement supports early learning. Three potential parent engagement models are discussed in relation to the qualitative findings. This is the first study to directly compare different stakeholders’ perspectives about parent engagement in early learning in an urban school system serving a large number of low income families and families of color.

Access to Technology for Communication Improves Health-Related Quality of Life for Low Income Families after NICU Discharge:

PEDIATRICS ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 137 (Supplement 3) ◽  
pp. 491A-491A
Author(s):  
Nicole I. Flores ◽  
Philippe Friedlich ◽  
Mandy Belfort ◽  
Douglas L. Vanderbilt ◽  
Roberta Williams ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Health Related Quality ◽  
Access To Technology ◽  
Related Quality ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Low Income Families

scholarly journals Identifying Meaningful Indicators of Parent Engagement in Early Learning for Low-Income, Urban Families

2020 ◽  
pp. 004208592096861
Author(s):  
Amie F. Bettencourt ◽  
Deborah Gross ◽  
Kelly Bower ◽  
Lucine Francis ◽  
Kathryn Taylor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Academic Success ◽  
School Districts ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Parent Engagement ◽  
Panel Discussion ◽  
Urban Families ◽  
Early Learning ◽  
Urban School Districts ◽  
School Based ◽  
Home Based

The purpose of this study was to identify indicators of parent engagement in early learning that would be relevant for children’s academic success; equitable for all families regardless of social, educational, or economic backgrounds; and actionable for urban school districts seeking to promote parent engagement with limited resources. Using a Delphi technique, a panel of parents, school staff, and researchers rated 106 parent engagement indicators extracted from stakeholder interviews. After multiple Delphi rounds and panel discussion, 30 indicators were retained. Retained indicators focused on home-based activities and home-school relationships/communication; no school-based activities met criteria for relevance, feasibility, and actionability.

The Role of Edify in Promoting Christ-centred Education Through Low-fee Independent Schools

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 167-178
Author(s):  
Makonen Getu
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Quality Education ◽  
Historical Background ◽  
Full Potential ◽  
Government Schools ◽  
Technology Services ◽  
Low Income Families ◽  
Access And Quality

Free universal primary education has been promoted globally since the declaration of Education for All in 1990. As a result, the number of school-going children in the developing world has increased at an unprecedented scale and governments have run short of educational facilities and qualified teachers. Millions of children have been left without access to school and those who enrolled received poor quality education. Low-fee independent (private) schools (LFISs), which charge small fees, have mushroomed everywhere in response to parental demand for access and quality education. Low-income families began to send their children to LFISs rather than government schools. Despite the critical role they play in providing access and quality education, LFISs were faced with challenges that hindered them from unleashing their full potential. Edify was founded in 2009 with the vision of flourishing Godly nations to stand alongside Christian LFISs through the provision of loan capital, training and education technology services to enable them to improve and expand sustainable Christ-centred education globally. During its eight years of operation, Edify has cumulatively partnered with around 3500 schools, having an impact on 1 million children. Over 20,000 school leaders and teachers have been trained in conjunction with local training partners. With the recycling of repayment through local lending partners, Edify has dispersed US$21.9 million in total loans to schools. With a brief historical background of LFISs, this article presents the rationale, content and modus operandi of Edify’s programme.

Diet Quality of Atlantic Families Headed by Single Mothers

2006 ◽  
Vol 67 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Theresa Glanville ◽  
Lynn Mcintyre
Keyword(s):  
Healthy Eating ◽  
Diet Quality ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Poverty Line ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Healthy Eating Index ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Dietary Adequacy ◽  
Lone Mothers

Purpose: As part of a larger study on food insecurity and dietary adequacy of low-income lone mothers and their children in Atlantic Canada, we examined diet quality among household members. Methods: Network sampling for ‘difficult to sample’ populations was used to identify mothers living below the poverty line and alone with at least two children under age 14. Trained dietitians administered 24-hour dietary recalls weekly for one month to mothers on the dietary intake of themselves and their children. We calculated Healthy Eating Index category scores for eligible mothers (129) and children (303) using Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating and the Nutrition Recommendations for Canadians. Results: Diet quality of low-income lone mothers was poor (35.5%) or in need of improvement (64.5%), with no mother having a good diet. The diet quality of children varied by age, with 22.7% of children aged one to three having a good diet or needing improvement (74.6%), 2.1% of children aged four to eight and no child aged nine to 14 having a good diet, while the diets of about 85% of older children in both age categories needed improvement. Conclusions: Younger children seem to be protected from poor quality diets in households with limited resources to acquire food.

Quality of Child Care as an Aspect of Family and Child Care Policy in the United States

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 91 (1) ◽  
pp. 182-188
Author(s):  
Sandra Scarr ◽  
Deborah Phillips ◽  
Kathleen McCartney ◽  
Martha Abbott-Shim
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Child Care ◽  
Low Income ◽  
The United States ◽  
Child Care Policy ◽  
Care Policy ◽  
Working Families ◽  
Low Income Families ◽  
The Impact

The quality of child care services in the United States should be understood within a context of child care policy at the federal and state levels. Similarly, child care policy needs to be examined within the larger context of family-support policies that do or do not include parental leaves to care for infants (and other dependent family members) and family allowances that spread the financial burdens of parenthood. Maynard and McGinnis1 presented a comprehensive look at the current and predictable policies that, at federal and state levels, affect working families and their children. They note the many problems in our "patchwork" system of child care—problems of insufficient attention to quality and insufficient supply for low-income families. Recent legislation is a step toward improving the ability of low-income families to pay for child care (by subsidizing that part of the cost of such care which exceeds 15% rather than 20% of the family income) and some steps toward training caregivers and improving regulations. They note the seeming political impasse over parental leaves, even unpaid leaves, and the impact of this lack of policy on the unmet need for early infant care. We should step back from the current morass of family and child care policies in the United States and look at what other nations have done and continue to do for their working families. By comparison with other industrialized countries in the world, the United States neglects essential provisions that make it possible for parents in other countries to afford to rear children and to find and afford quality child care for their children.

Spillover Effects of Maternal Chronic Disease on Children’s Quality of Life and Behaviors Among Low-Income Families

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 625-635 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vivian Y. W. Guo ◽  
Carlos K. H. Wong ◽  
Rosa S. M. Wong ◽  
Esther Y. T. Yu ◽  
Patrick Ip ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Chronic Disease ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Spillover Effects ◽  
And Behaviors ◽  
Low Income Families
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