Teacher-perceived developmental predictors of family involvement in prekindergarten

Abstract

Family involvement is critical for children's early learning and development. Consequently, it is important to identify predictors of family involvement in early childhood. The present study used teacher-report data to examine child-level developmental predictors of family involvement as defined by three aspects: absenteeism, tardiness, and family efforts to help children be prepared for school. We used a sample of N = 334 prekindergarten students whose teachers report as eligible for free/reduced-price lunch. Two-level models revealed that teachers perceived prekindergarten students' entering social-emotional development as predictive of family involvement by the end of the year. Implications for both research and practice are discussed. In particular, we provide ideas for research and practice in light of the potential accuracy and inaccuracy of teachers' perceptions.