Factors that support the kindergarten transition patterns of Latino boys

• In Event: Person-centered approaches to understanding school readiness

Abstract

The transition from pre-Kindergarten (pre K) to Kindergarten is particularly challenging for children due to new academic, behavioral, and linguistic demands and expectations.1 Children's adaptations to these changes will vary based on the multiple sociocultural contexts they exist in.2 Understanding these variations is essential as school transitions play a critical role in determining children's school trajectories, achievement and success.3 Pre-K to Kindergarten transition needs for Latino boys, a growing segment of the population, needs critical examination.4 Latino boys’ vary in their developmental patterns likely due to their ethnicity, gender, home language, family SES, and other factors.5 The purpose of this study is to: (1) determine the pre-K to Kindergarten transition patterns for Latino boys and (2) identify which sociocultural contexts predict boys' optimal pre-K to Kindergarten transition patterns? The sociocultural contexts include family SES, parenting, parental functioning, familial social support, and early education participation.

Method
This study used the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort (ECLS-B), a nationally representative study aimed at understanding children's early experiences. Data from 1950 Latino boys during the pre-K and Kindergarten waves when children were 4 and 5 years old were used. The average age of the boys during the pre-K wave was 53.62 months (SD = 4.20), and a majority of them attend center−/school-based care (53%), and 21% in home-based and 24% in parental care. The average income-to-needs ratio was 1.99 (SD = 1.93), and 37% of mothers had some college or more.

Profile indicators included: direct assessments of expressive language, early reading and math, and teacher ratings of socio-emotional skills (i.e., interpersonal, approaches to learning, aggression, and anxiety). Profile predictors and sociocultural contexts included: family SES (income-to-needs ratio, maternal education), maternal employment, family characteristics (family structure, primary home language, and parental nativity status), coded sensitive and negative parent-child interactions, parental styles and beliefs (discipline strategies, kindergarten readiness expectations, religious beliefs), parent wellbeing (physical and mental health, use of drugs and alcohol, financial and emotional support), and Pre-K participation

Results
Three transition profiles were found: (1) Consistent Learner, (2) Struggling Learner, and (3) Declining High Achiever (see Figure 1). Family SES, maternal employment, sensitive parenting, use of timeout, Kindergarten readiness expectation, and center-based participation during pre K, were predictive of membership in a particular profile (see Table 1).

Discussion
Results suggest heterogeneity in Latino boys' school transition patterns. The majority of Latino boys' were in the optimal transition patterns, meaning they scored at or above average on language and academic assessments and showed strength in their socio-emotional development. Unfortunately, a third of Latino boys experienced difficulty as indicated by low levels of expressive language in English and academic skills, and relatively low socio-emotional skills. While Latino children in higher functioning patterns came from higher income, healthier, and more stable families who spoke English compared to children in the other patterns, they also experienced more sensitive and less harsh parenting.

This study is limited in authentically capturing the sociocultural contexts that is not White-centric and equates success solely based on White, English-speaking, and middle-class values.

Authors

• Melissa Lucas, Yale University
  Presenting Author

• Iheoma U. Iruka, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  Non-Presenting Author

• Cristina Gillanders, University of Colorado Denver
  Non-Presenting Author

• Tobiloba Adejum, University of Colorado Denver
  Non-Presenting Author