Academic achievement gaps across racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups are apparent as soon as children enter kindergarten: racial minorities, Hispanics, and poor children begin school at a distinct disadvantage compared to their White peers from middle- and high-income families (Chatterji, 2005; Fryer, Jr. & Levitt, 2004; Magnuson, Meyers, Ruhm, & Waldfogel, 2004; Magnuson & Waldfogel, 2005; Reardon, 2011). To understand these gaps at kindergarten entry, it is essential that researchers understand the skills with which children enter kindergarten. Previous research on school readiness has been limited by variable-centered methods that separate components of school readiness (e.g., early academic skills, social skills, engagement). As each entering kindergartner possesses their own set of school readiness skills, it is not likely that school readiness skills are independent of one another. School readiness may be better conceptualized and measured as patterns of skills that children possess at the beginning of kindergarten. These detectable patterns of school readiness skills present at kindergarten entry may deferentially support development of academic and non-academic achievement outcomes, such that strengths can promote the development of weaker skills across the kindergarten year. Within the framework of Cognitive Load Theory (Sweller, 1994), this study investigated the nature of the relations among children's school readiness skills and their associations with development of academic, social, and engagement skills across the kindergarten year. This study used a person-centered analytic technique to identify profiles of school readiness present in entering kindergartners and explored the different developmental trajectories of academic, social, and engagement skills of children across these profiles. Five school readiness profiles were detected: 1) Scholastic, 2) On Par, 3) Room to Grow, 4) Super Regulator, and 5) Wiggler. Membership in these profiles was predicted by key demographic variables, and membership in profiles in turn uniquely predicted change in achievement outcomes across the kindergarten year. More specifically, children in the Super Regulator profile improved notably in academic skills, which were their weaker skills at school entry, but did not show improvement in social and engagement skills as a group across the year; children in the Wiggler profile showed moderate improvements in engagement skills, social skills, and self control across the year; children in the On Par profile showed no change in social and engagement skills, while showing the most improvement in math scores across all the profiles; the social and engagement skills of children in the Scholastic profile improved moderately, while their academic skills improved the least of all the groups; and children within the Room to Grow profile showed the most growth in social and engagement skills and improved moderately in math skills, but did not show the same improvement in reading skills. Furthermore, this study contrasted the person-centered approach described above to a more traditional, variable-centered approach. The author believes that the person-centered approach succeeded in providing findings about school readiness that can be more easily and succinctly communicated to early childhood education stakeholders than did the variable-centered approach.

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the difference in pro-social behavior, self-regulation, overall reading performance, Lexile levels, and teachers’ perception of classroom climate of kindergarten students who received the Ready to Learn (RTL; Brigman, Lane, & Lane, 2008) classroom guidance program (treatment group: n = 173) and kindergarten students who did not receive the intervention (comparison group: n = 124). The study followed a quasi-experimental, comparison group design in which teachers completed the Child Behavior Rating Scale (CBRS) and Teacher My Class Inventory-Short Form (TMCI-SF) measures as well as collected reading data from individual students. Descriptive statistics for each of the measures, the findings from the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) on the CBRS and TMCI-SF data, along with the multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) using the i-Ready data, and partial eta squared (ηp2) effect sizes were calculated. The ANCOVA was conducted to determine if differences existed on the participants’ pro-social behavior and self-regulation by condition. The findings revealed a statistically significant difference on the pro-social skills but did not show a statistically significant difference in self-regulation. The MANCOVA revealed statistically significant differences in overall reading performance between the treatment and comparison group; however, did not reveal statistically significant differences on the Lexile levels for the students who participated in the intervention. Finally, the ANCOVA reported a statistically significant difference in the perceived impact of the school counselor by the treatment group kindergarten as compared to the teachers in the comparison group; however, no other differences were found on the TMCI-SF scales. With these results, there is a need for further empirical research to determine the impact of the RTL program on students’ academic and SEL development. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2017. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

In the United States, a current initiative, Advancing Active STEM Education for Our Youngest Learners, aims to advance science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education in early childhood. The purpose of this study was to understand preschool teachers' proficiency with science and address the problem of whether or not science learning opportunities are provided to young children based on teachers' attitudes and beliefs. A theoretical framework for establishing teachers' attitudes toward science developed by van Aalderen-Smeets, van der Molen, and Asma, along with Bandura's theory of self-efficacy were the foundations for this research. Research questions explored preschool teachers' attitudes and beliefs toward science in general and how they differed based on education level and years of preschool teaching experience. Descriptive comparative data were collected from 48 preschool teacher participants using an online format with a self-reported measure and were analyzed using nonparametric tests to describe differences between groups based on identified factors of teacher comfort, child benefit, and challenges. Results indicated that the participants believed that early childhood science is developmentally appropriate and that young children benefit from science instruction through improved school-readiness skills. Preschool teachers with a state credential or an associate's degree and more teaching experience had more teacher comfort toward science based on attitudes and beliefs surveyed. The data indicated participating preschool teachers experienced few challenges in teaching science. The study may support positive social change through increased awareness of strengths and weaknesses of preschool teachers for the development of effective science professional development. Science is a crucial component of school-readiness skills, laying a foundation for success in later grades.

In the United States, over 10 million children under the age of 5, including half the infants and toddlers, spend time in the care of someone other than their parents. Changes in family roles and the need for dual-earner households make childcare decisions important for middle class millennial mothers. Research addressing middle class millennial mothers' experiences in choosing childcare for their infants and toddlers and their adjustment to family changes is limited. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to discover the lived experiences and decision-making processes of these mothers concerning childcare. The conceptual framework was informed by the theories of Bowlby, Bronfenbrenner, and Bandura. Interviews were conducted with 15 middle class mothers, who were 19 to 36 years old, who had a child between the ages of 6-18 months, and who had children in nonfamily care for at least 5 months. Participants from the northeastern states were recruited through social media. A combination of a priori and open coding was used to reveal emergent themes. Findings showed that the mothers balanced societal expectations and meeting their children's needs with self-gratification; also, additional financial resources were important to the participants. Emotional connections with caregivers and comfort level with the setting were the most influential elements in placement decisions. Each participant was content with her choice of childcare arrangement and confident that their children would benefit, both educationally and socioemotionally. These findings can inform early childhood practitioners of factors that contribute to mothers' decisions related to nonfamily childcare and can help educators provide millennial mothers with effective support and information systems.

Researchers indicate repeated participation in violent video games increases the likelihood of aggressive and hurtful behavior toward others. Media violence is one of the most studied phenomena affecting children over the age of 8. Media violence has become accessible for very young children through various sources. The purpose of this study was to explore perspectives of parents and teachers of children 5 to 8 years old regarding children's exposure to violent media, their definitions of violent media, and parental monitoring practices. Questionnaires were completed by 35 parents, and 6 agreed to participate in face-to-face or telephonic interviews. Four teachers from kindergarten through second grade participated in face-to-face interviews. Bronfenbrenner's model of human ecology was the conceptual framework. A combination of a priori and open coding was used to support thematic analyses. Participants indicated they need to be more informed about the possible effects that exposure to violent media, specifically video games, has on children. Both parents and teachers noted that often it was the younger children, specifically of kindergarten age, who were exposed to the most amount of time with violent media. Implications for positive social change included ways to properly monitor children's access, such as more restrictions on time and content of the media. This research could provide support to advocacy groups to provide parents, educators, and policymakers with reliable data on children's media use and the impact it has on children.

In early childhood centers, students with disabilities are being suspended and expelled, leaving them with no place to attend school to learn with their peers or to receive early intervention special education services. This study was designed to determine the effects of coaching on the number of suspensions and expulsions of students with disabilities attending early childhood centers. The framework for this study was based on the theory of Conjoint Behavioral Coaching. The research question was: What are the effects of a coaching intervention by early intervention teachers to early childhood teachers on the number of suspensions and expulsions of students with disabilities? A quasi-experimental design was used with data collected from a sample of 27 early childhood centers. The intervention consisted of pairing each early childhood teacher with an early intervention teacher to complete the coaching process. A t-test was utilized to determine a significant difference between pre- and post-suspension and expulsion data. A statistically significant difference was found in suspension and expulsion rates after the coaching intervention was utilized. The coaching appears to provide support for the early childhood teachers so that they are less inclined to suspend or expel students with disabilities from their classrooms. Implications for social change included reducing the high number of suspensions and expulsions in early childhood settings so that students with disabilities were able to remain in their educational setting with their peers who do not have disabilities.

A small rural school district in the southwestern part of the United States required teachers to provide highly effective literacy instruction by implementing an evidence-based reading program called Journeys. With consistently low reading achievement, it was unclear whether teachers were implementing Journeys as prescribed. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore teacher implementation of the Journeys program for students at an elementary school in the district. The theoretical framework used to guide the study was Clay’s emergent literacy theory. The conceptual framework included 5 strands of the Journeys reading curriculum, which was derived from Clay’s theory. A modified formative program evaluation case study was conducted. Nine teachers who had taught reading and 2 administrators who supervised reading teachers were purposefully selected for semistructured interviews. Coding and analysis of interview data indicated that more than half of the teachers were not implementing Journeys with fidelity. Themes that emerged from the interviews were; inconsistent understanding of evidence-based literacy instruction, lack of collaborative planning, teacher’s use of an alternate phonics-based resource, focus on technology integration, lack of teacher buy-in, and lack of teacher training in implementation of the Journeys program. Based on findings, a 3-day professional development training was developed to provide training in implementing Journeys’ underlying evidence-based strategies. In regard to social change, the study findings and project could assist school leaders in determining guidelines for the implementation of evidence-based reading curricula. The study findings and project could assist school leaders and teachers in effective implementation of Journeys and providing quality literacy instruction to enhance student learning in the district.

Poor early literacy performance in public elementary schools has been a concern for many years. To that end, the purpose of this study was to examine an Early Intervention Program (EIP) in a public school. First grade students at the participating elementary school struggled with reading skills and were not meeting the grade standards of the local school district. In order to remedy this problem, the school implemented early support to provide struggling students with specific and targeted small group reading instruction. This quantitative program evaluation was intended to explore the effect of the EIP used at the participating elementary school on the reading levels of a convenience sample of 32 struggling first grade readers enrolled in the EIP. The Fountas and Pinnell benchmark reading scores of these students were analyzed using a chi square test to determine the effectiveness of the program. The beginning- and end-of-year benchmark scores showed that students who participated in the program for an entire school year demonstrated growth in their reading levels so that every student in the program was reading on or above grade level. Based on this research, an evaluation report was prepared and included recommendations for possible expansion of the program and teacher professional development focused on reading intervention. This research could help promote positive social change through teacher professional development and allow classroom teachers to receive targeted reading intervention training. These results from the study help to improve student achievement and foster a school environment that is data driven and student achievement centered to support student learning.

Proficiency in literacy is paramount during a child's education. Lacking proficiency can have lasting effects. At both the state and local level, continuing gaps in student achievement in literacy have been documented. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to focus on kindergarten teachers and administrators' early literacy strategies, specifically current practices in early literacy skills and possible resources needed in early literacy to lessen the gap between White students and ethnic minority and students who qualify for free/reduced meals. The constructivist framework was the platform used to investigate teacher and administrator understanding of the 6 early literacy skills, their understanding of current literacy building instructional practices/strategies related to those skills, and possible needs for resources related to the six early literacy skills. The guiding question for this study was: Despite targeted instruction, dedicated time for daily literacy instruction, and tiered interventions, why does the literacy gap exist in kindergarten? A qualitative case study design was used for this project study with a convenience sample of five participants. Semistructured interviews were conducted and transcribed. Open coding was used to identify themes. Major themes emerged including instructional support, use of multimodal curriculums, strong teacher/student relationships, and consideration of issues outside the instruction and curriculum such as mental health of students. Recommendations were made in the form of a position paper to identify possible changes, modifications, and items to keep. A major implication when considering positive social change is the collaborative work from all stakeholders. With this position paper, the district can migrate from reactive strategies in third grade to proactive strategies in kindergarten to lessen the literacy gap between student subgroups.

In the United States, early childhood educators are expected to follow the trend to enforce academic curriculum for preschoolers. This effort diminishes the value of play in the young developmental years of children. The purpose of this study was to explore the type of activities and strategies that promote development of language and literacy skills of preschool children while playing in a dramatic play center. Vygotsky's sociocultural theory teaches that children acquire skills through play and discovery in a developmentally appropriate environment. The study was conducted within a qualitative framework using a case study approach. How parents and teachers encourage and support the development of literacy skills in preschoolers during play were explored. The participants in this single site case study were 10 young children attending a university campus preschool, their parents, and their teacher. Data were collected through observations of the children and interviews with the parents and the preschool teacher. Video transcripts and field notes were analyzed to understand the data collected. Coding was implemented to understand the patterns and themes that emerged from the collected data. Modeling, asking questions, props, and books were identified activities and strategies that supported oral language development and literacy skills in young children during dramatic play. The parents and the preschool teacher encouraged and supported the development of oral language and literacy skills through providing opportunities through play for children to build vocabulary by expressing themselves and understanding others. Varied experiences with an assortment of props and books were identified as supporting children's development. This study recommends and extends the understanding that play in dramatic play centers in preschools can support the development of oral language and literacy skills which could create positive social change in early childhood education programs.