Three questions are explored in this dissertation. The first is whether the executive functions of Head Start participants are improved in comparison to those of children who did not attend center-based care before attending kindergarten. By matching and comparing the outcomes of a nationally representative cohort of kindergarten children (ECLS-K:2011) grouped by the type of childcare they received in the year preceding school entry, I find that Head Start participants exhibit slightly higher cognitive flexibility scores (as well as reading and math outcomes) in comparison to highly similar children who did not experience center-based care before starting school. Children who participated in Head Start demonstrate working memory skills that are not significantly different from those of closely-matched children who experienced no center-based care, but their skills in this area are slightly weaker than those of similar children who attended school-based public pre-k or other center-based care. The second question is how math content level during kindergarten affects children with different early care experiences, with focus on Head Start participants. The use of piece-wise linear growth curves to analyze children’s development in working memory, cognitive flexibility, reading and math reveals that advanced math content in kindergarten does have a positive relationship with math and reading achievement for Head Start participants, but these students do not gain as much on average from this instructional approach as more advantaged groups do. More basic math content, such as counting has a negative association with growth in math for more advantaged groups of children. Finally, any increases in kindergarten growth rates resulting from math content do not appear to persist through first and second grades. The third question asks whether there are significant differences in the trajectories of Head Start participants according to parent nativity. In analysis using piece-wise linear growth curve models to analyze Head Start (HS) participants’ development in working memory, cognitive flexibility, reading and math, results indicate that HS participants with immigrant parents exhibit an additional surge in EF development in the period between the spring of kindergarten and the spring of second grade, later than the average kindergarten increase for all HS participants. Additionally, HS participants with immigrant parents exhibit slightly higher average growth rates in reading during kindergarten when compared to HS participants with non-immigrant parents.

Latinos are the largest and fastest growing ethnic minority group in the United States. Academically, they are significantly trailing their non-Latino peers in graduation and overall educational attainment. Among many socioeconomic factors, parent engagement has been identified as being a defining indicator of student success. Reflective of racial and class disparities, this study explored with the use of critical race and intersectionality theory, that low Latino parent engagement is a result of the historical devaluing and omission of Latino culture, history and language from formal academic settings, and compounding social factors that make engagement complex for Latino immigrants in America today. In search of programmatic designs that better engage Latino families, this study explored a culturally specific program in San Francisco and its impact on engaging Latino immigrant parents. Using ethnographic methodologies, this study found via direct observation, a parent focus group, nine parent interviews and seven school personnel interviews that culturally specific programs can successful build relationships, create inclusive spaces, counter ideas of deficit thinking, interrupt systems of oppression, and strengthen community engagement. Implications of this study on social work education, practice, and policy will be discussed.

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Sociology / Master / Master of Philosophy

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The purpose of this quantitative study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Spanish cultural translation of the Student Success Skills (SCT-SSS) classroom program as a school counselor intervention for increasing Hispanic student academic achievement scores as measured by standardized mathematics and reading tests. The research question evaluated in this study was: "What is the effect of student participation in the SCT-SSS on student achievement of high school Hispanic students in reading and mathematics as measured by Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT)"? The sample for this study included 352 Hispanic students in Grades 9 and 10 from two public high schools in south Florida. The treatment group included 166 students and the comparison group included 186 students. In order to be eligible for participation in this study, students had to meet three different criteria: (a) they identified themselves as Hispanic on their school registration form; (b) they were enrolled in a Spanish for Native Speakers foreign language elective course: and (c) they had Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test (FCAT) pretest scores on the reading and math tests. A series of preliminary univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA) were conducted to determine if differences existed between participants on the FCAT reading and mathematics pretests Developmental Scale Scores (DSS). To control for grade level and English language learner (ELL) differences between study participants on pretest reading scores, a univariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was conducted using the FCAT reading pretest DSS as the covariate. An overall effect size of the current study was +0.50 with a variance of 0.0060 (95% CI [0.35, 0.65]). / The results for the overall math effect size was +0.32 with a variance of 0.0115 (95% CI [0.10, .53]), and the results for the overall reading effect sizewas +0.70 with a variance of 0.0127 (95% CI [.48, .93]). These effect sizes were statistically significificant at the.05 level. The results from this study demonstrated that the SCT-SSS classroom program is an effective intervention for increasing student achievement for high school Hispanic students. Students who received the SCT-SSS classroom program achieved greater gains when compared to students who did not receive the intervention. / by Ivett Urbina. / Vita. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2011. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2011. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of the Haitian Hybrid Student Success Skills (HHSSS) program on the academic achievement of 4th and 5th grade Haitian students. This intervention included both the Student Success Skills (SSS) classroom program in English (Brigman & Webb, 2004), followed by the Haitian SSS small group translation Teknik Pou Ede Eláev Reyisi (Brigman, Campbell, & Webb 2004, 2009). School counselors in the treatment schools implemented the HHSSS program in grades 4 and 5 after receiving training from the study researcher. A series of ANOVA and ANCOVA analyses then were conducted to determine whether there were significant differences between the treatment group, the comparison group 1, and the comparison group 2 in reading and math using the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) as a benchmark. Statistically significant differences were found between: (a) the treatment group and comparison group 1 in reading, (b) the treatment group and vii comparison group 2 in reading, and (c) between both comparison group 1 and comparison group 2 in reading. This study provides empirical support showing that students who are taught key cognitive and self management skills in their native language can begin to close the academic gap regardless of their language background. Furthermore, it supports the positive impact school counselors can have on student success by implementing an evidence-based program. / by Velouse Jean-Pierre Jean-Jacques. / Vita. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2011. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2011. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education