The Kindergarten Home Visit Project: Enhancing the Transition to Kindergarten

1. The Kindergarten Home Visit Project: Enhancing the Transition to Kindergarten Amy Schulting, M.Ed., M.A. Center for Child and Family Policy Duke University

2. Overview • The importance of the K transition • K transition practices – prior research • Kindergarten Home Visit Project

3. Transition to Kindergarten • Early school failure is associated with long-term negative outcomes(Jimerson,1999, Pianta et al., 2002) • retention/special education • continued failure throughout school • peer and teacher relationship problems • behavior problems/delinquency/dropping out • lower adult wages/unemployment • Transition Difficulties(Rimm-Kaufman et al., 2000) • 32% of students had moderate difficulty • 16% had serious difficulty adjusting to K

4. Transition Practices Teacher Reported Use of Transition Practices - Telephone/send info. 86% - Parent visit school 76% - Parent orientation 76% - Child visit classroom 39% - Shortened school days 18% - Home visit by teacher 4% (Schulting, Malone & Dodge, 2005)

5. Effect of Transition Practices (Schulting, Malone & Dodge, 2005)

6. Effect of Transition Practices (Schulting, Malone & Dodge, 2005)

7. The Kindergarten Home Visit Project

8. Kindergarten Home Visit Project • Teachers visit each student by October 15 • Goals: 1) establish positive home-school relationship 2) answer parents’ questions 3) learn about child/family with parent as expert • Teachers ($40/visit + $200 bonus), accompanying person ($15), translator ($25), scheduler ($2)

9. Research Hypotheses Home Visits will improve: • Teacher-Child relationships • Parent-Teacher relationships & communication • Parent involvement • Teacher attitudes/beliefs • Child outcomes in kindergarten

10. Pilot Study • EK Powe Elementary (2003-2006) • 5 teachers and about 80 families each year • Home Visit Completion Rates Year 1: 53% Year 2: 92% Year 3: 96% • Randomized Controlled Trial (2006-2008)

11. Kindergarten Home Visit Project Randomized Controlled Trial: • 44 teachers (19 schools), 928 children and families • Randomized Design: 22 HV / 22 control • Teachers: • 57% Eur. American, 43% Afr. American • 42 females, 2 males • Students: • 57% free or reduced lunch • 81% minority • 28% from non-English speaking homes

12. Results • 467 home visits completed – 98% • 17 teachers (77%) finished by October 1st • Do teachers want to conduct home visits again next year? 19 = definitely, 2 = maybe, 1 = retiring • Teacher Feedback • Positive Results: • Child Outcomes • Teacher Attitudes and Beliefs • Parent Involvement and Communication

13. Results – Main Effects Child and Teacher Outcomes: • Teacher-Child Rel. Warmth (p < .05) • Academic Work Habits (p < .055) • Teacher Attitudes and Beliefs • Responding to Diverse Families (p < .007) • Positive Rel. Children/Families (p < .04) • Value Parent Contributions (p < .06)

14. Results – Interaction Effects

15. Results – Interaction Effects

16. Results Parent Involvement Outcomes: • Parents more likely to accept invitations to school. Home Visit 61%, Control 48% (p < .01) Non-English Speaking Parents • Reduced language barrier – parent and teacher report (p < .055, p < .007) • More Comfortable at School (p < .001)

17. Results Other Parent Involvement Outcomes: • We did not find effects of home visiting on Parent-Teacher relationships. Low-Income Children and Families: • We did not find that home visiting was most beneficial for low-income children and families in general. It was most helpful for non-English speakers (72% low-income).

18. Conclusions • First randomized-controlled trial of home visiting as a K. transition practice • Positive Effects: • Child Outcomes • Teacher Attitudes and Beliefs • Parent Involvement and Communication • Ready for district-wide implementation

19. Thank You!