Publication Date

5-2024

Advisor(s) - Committee Chair

Janet Tassell, Lester Archer, Leslee Tarbett

Degree Program

Educational Leadership

Degree Type

Doctor of Education

Abstract

Every child deserves the opportunity to come to school ready to learn with the skills needed to take on the content in kindergarten. Students, who are not ready for kindergarten, have a higher chance of needing additional support services with academics and behavior (Fitzpatrick et al., 2020). In Kentucky, less than 50% of the kindergarten students were considered kindergarten ready based on the 2022 Kindergarten Readiness data (Kentucky Department of Education, 2023). In the district where this study took place, 43% of students were determined to be kindergarten ready (Kentucky Department of Education, 2023). Knowing the implications and long term impact of not being kindergarten ready, the district placed a priority on early education and kindergarten readiness by having preschool four days per week, a mobile preschool classroom, additional personnel, and more awareness of the importance of early education.

In the improvement science study, interventions focused on engaging parents in learning about strategies to help their child become kindergarten ready based on the root cause analysis and literature on kindergarten readiness. Parent seminars were conducted throughout the year to help parents understand the importance of being prepared for kindergarten and multiple strategies to use at home with their child. Materials were distributed at each parent seminar to help with kindergarten readiness. Translators were made available to help all parents understand the content. The participation increased as the interventions were revised to meet the needs of the parents. Kindergarten readiness scores improved throughout the interventions, although other factors contributed to the improvements. The findings in this study suggest there are strategies that can be implemented to improve parent participation in parent seminars, specifically focused on kindergarten readiness.

Disciplines

Curriculum and Instruction | Early Childhood Education | Education | Elementary Education

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