TY - JOUR
T1 - Understanding Barriers and Solutions Affecting Preschool Attendance in Low-Income Families
AU - Susman-Stillman, Amy
AU - Englund, Michelle M.
AU - Storm, Karen J.
AU - Bailey, Ann E
N1 - Funding Information:
Spencer Foundation Small Grant Program, Grant #201700020.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
PY - 2018/4/3
Y1 - 2018/4/3
N2 - Preschool attendance problems negatively impact children's school readiness skills and future school attendance. Parents are critical to preschoolers’ attendance. This study explored parental barriers and solutions to preschool attendance in low-income families. School-district administrative data from a racially/ethnically diverse sample of parents with children attending the district's half-day preschool program were obtained (N = 111). Subsamples of parents participated in a phone interview and follow-up, in-person interview. Parents valued early learning and preschool. Children missed school due to illness, problems with child care, transportation, and family life. Differences in attendance rates appeared by school, family demographics, and race/ethnicity. African-Americans and Hispanics experienced more barriers than Whites and Asians, and were more likely to miss school because of illness and medical appointments. Hispanics were more likely to miss for vacation. Parents noted a lack of social connection with other parents in the school/neighborhood, making seeking help to resolve attendance barriers difficult.
AB - Preschool attendance problems negatively impact children's school readiness skills and future school attendance. Parents are critical to preschoolers’ attendance. This study explored parental barriers and solutions to preschool attendance in low-income families. School-district administrative data from a racially/ethnically diverse sample of parents with children attending the district's half-day preschool program were obtained (N = 111). Subsamples of parents participated in a phone interview and follow-up, in-person interview. Parents valued early learning and preschool. Children missed school due to illness, problems with child care, transportation, and family life. Differences in attendance rates appeared by school, family demographics, and race/ethnicity. African-Americans and Hispanics experienced more barriers than Whites and Asians, and were more likely to miss school because of illness and medical appointments. Hispanics were more likely to miss for vacation. Parents noted a lack of social connection with other parents in the school/neighborhood, making seeking help to resolve attendance barriers difficult.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85041799662&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85041799662&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/10824669.2018.1434657
DO - 10.1080/10824669.2018.1434657
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85041799662
SN - 1082-4669
VL - 23
SP - 170
EP - 186
JO - Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk
JF - Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk
IS - 1-2
M1 - 10.1080/10824669.2018.1434657
ER -