Choosing to Not Enroll? Understanding Parents' Decision Making When Choosing to Enroll or to Not Enroll in Head Start

• In Event: Promising Scholarship in Education: Dissertation Fellows and Their Research

Abstract

Studies show that only 38 to 50 percent of children in poverty experience any form of preschool (Child Trends, 2013; NIEER, 2013; U.S. Census, 2011). Enrollment in Head Start is not simply a function of center-based recruitment efforts; rather there are complex psychological, social, cultural, and structural contexts that influence the enrollment decisions of eligible families. As Head Start programs seek to enroll an increasingly ethnically and culturally diverse target population, it is important that administrators and grantees understand the contextual factors that influence eligible families’ decisions of whether or not to enroll.

The need for Head Start providers to understand the contextual factors that influence families’ decisions about enrollment is especially urgent in new immigrant gateway destinations that are experiencing burgeoning Hispanic populations. These regions face the challenge of enrolling children from groups that are new to an area while maintaining the enrollment of children from existing groups. Studies show that immigrant parents of any ethnic background are less likely to use formal preschool than non-immigrant parents (Crosnoe, 2007; Magnuson, Lahaie, & Waldfogel, 2006). Studies also show that Hispanics use formal preschool less than blacks and whites (Early & Burchinal, 2002; Huston, Chang, & Gennetian, 2002). In addition, studies on race relations find that areas experiencing racial and ethnic population transition are marred by sentiments of conflict, competition, and racial distancing (Marrow, 2009; McClain, et. al. 2006, 2007). These conditions highlight the need for Head Start providers, especially those in areas experiencing population shifts, to better understand the contextual factors that influence enrollment.

Situated in Durham, N.C., a mid-sized city in the southeast that has recently experienced growth in its Hispanic population, this study is well suited for examining issues of enrollment amidst population transition. This mixed-methods study is grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory and adapts five sociological frameworks for determining institutional participation to the Head Start context. Through surveys of Head Start enrollee parents and eligible non-enrollee parents (n= 295), this study measures the extent to which (1) psychological resources; (2) socioeconomic status; (3) social connectedness; (4) group consciousness; and (5) group conflict predict Head Start enrollment. In addition, the survey measures parents’ priorities when selecting early child care. First, this study measures the predictive value of the various constructs and measures the extent to which these factors vary across racial and ethnic groups. Then, cluster analysis of the survey responses is used to identify typologies of Head Start enrollee parents and non-enrollee parents. Finally, in-depth interviews of parents representative of the various Head Start enrollee and non-enrollee typologies are conducted and analyzed to provide comparisons of the groups using rich and detailed information not available through survey-based data. This study provides critical information about facilitators and barriers to enrollment that will allow Head Start providers to strategically improve programming and recruitment to promote enrollment amongst their increasingly diverse target population.

Progress Update.
Survey data collection and coding are complete. Preliminary data analysis of predictive values of self-efficacy, social connectedness, socioeconomic status, group consciousness, group conflict, and preferences and the variability of these constructs between enrollee and non-enrollee parents and between black and Hispanic parents is underway. Cluster analysis, interviews and interview analysis are forthcoming.

Preliminary Findings.
Preliminary data analysis show that measures of psychological resources, social connectedness, and socioeconomic status differ between enrollee and non-enrollee parents and between black and Hispanic parents. The predictive values of the constructs for enrollment are stronger for black parents than for Hispanic parents.

Educational Significance of Research Findings.
This builds knowledge about the most foundational aspect of Head Start family engagement - the willingness to enroll. Findings can help Head Start programs and policy makers understand why some parents choose to enroll while others choose not to enroll. Findings will provide insights into what differences (if any) exist in the context and preferences that shape the decisions of black and Hispanic families. These findings can provide direction about how to develop effective practices and policies that engage and cater to the needs and preferences of families from diverse backgrounds. In addition, while this study focuses on Head Start, because of the overlap in target population, specifically families with four year old children in poverty, much of this information can be used to inform the work of other programs that provide preschool to families in children in poverty.

Author

• Zoelene Hill, Duke University