Date of Conferral

5-29-2024

Date of Award

May 2024

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Grace Lappin

Abstract

Over half of Idaho’s incoming kindergarteners lack the necessary school readiness skills. The environment in which the child lives and grows, which includes the child’s parents, determines the child’s readiness for school. This study addressed Idaho parents’ roles in preparing their preschool-aged child for kindergarten, and their current ability to access resources and information on school readiness. The study was grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, which provided a framework for the influence of parents on a child’s school readiness outcomes based on the idea that a person’s behavior evolves based on the relationship between the person and their environment. This study followed a basic qualitative research design and included interviews with 10 parent participants. Qualitative data about their perspectives on school readiness were collected, and interview data underwent open coding and categorization to identify patterns and themes. During the data analysis process, the data were sorted into five themes using deductive coding. The five themes were Parents’ Perspectives and Experiences with their Child’s Preschool Program, Parents’ Perspectives on the Concept of Kindergarten Readiness, Parental Role and Responsibility, and Access to Resources. The findings may be used for positive social change by increasing stakeholders’ understanding of the support parents in Idaho may need to prepare their child for a school setting, which may contribute to closing the kindergarten achievement gap.

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