Poster #74 - Stressors and Supports: The Aftermath of Preschool Expulsion

• In Event: Poster Session 02

Abstract

Over 17,000 children are expelled each year in the United States (U.S. Department of Education, 2016), with preschool children expelled at rates three times higher than K-12 students (Gilliam, 2005). Expulsion or the permanent removal of a child from a program or setting (Zinsser et al., 2019) can have immediate and long-term implications for young children’s overall emotional and social development. Families whose children were excluded experience many challenges and stressors, which can negatively impact the family unit. While the expulsion crisis in early childhood education in the United States has received more attention recently, research on understanding this experience from the perspective of families whose child was excluded is limited. Using in-depth interviews, this study investigates the stressors and support of 23 families whose child was excluded under the enactment of Illinois’ Public Act 100-010.

A total of 23 families participated in our study. Families completed an online survey via Qualtrics, as well as participated in a phone interview (See Table 1). Interviews lasted between 90-120 minutes. An interview protocol with topically organized open-ended questions were used. (Patton, 1990). Transcripts and memos of the interviews were utilized to conduct a thematic analysis. Data displays were utilized to help compress the data and ease interpretation and identification of themes (Miles & Huberman, 1994).

Preliminary findings suggest that the exclusion harmed the family's emotional, financial, and overall well-being. Parents reported feeling sentiments of anger, failure, and helplessness. May told us “I remember feeling livid, defeated.” For others, it strained family relationships. For example, Carla said: “We had to see a counselor because…it was really hard on my marriage. My other children still have some stuff going on because of it.” Financially, stressors included parents' inability to work and/or maintain employment. Sadie who was self-employed shared her experience “I cut myself down to one day a week and I just started staying home because I had no other option...”. In our analysis of the parent's support system, we found that families relied overwhelmingly on familial support if present (e.g., spouse, grandparents, family friends). Families also relied on social networks such as Facebook groups, support groups, and friends. One surprising finding was the lack of support and resources available to families during this process outside of relying on their own social networks.

This study sheds light on the needs of families during the expulsion process and highlights the need for additional familial support. Findings from this study can help create new resources and tailor existing ones to meet the needs of families. Additionally, our findings provide new insight on the supportive role flexible work environments play for families during this unruly time.

Authors

• Rabia Zahid, University of Illinois at Chicago
  Presenting Author

• Sarai Coba-Rodriguez, The University of Illinois Chicago

• Kate Zinsser, University of Illinois at Chicago