Chronic absenteeism in early childhood is associated with numerous adverse outcomes throughout childhood and adolescence. Interventions are needed to prevent chronic absenteeism and support child development in early education. The present study investigated the effect of Primary Project, a school-based prevention program, on average school…

This dissertation aims to elucidate the complexities of chronic absenteeism in Head Start Programs post-COVID-19 to enhance early childhood education practices and policies. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, the study investigates the causes of absenteeism by surveying and interviewing 50 participants from a Head Start Program in the New York…

Following a high-quality early care and pre-K experience, the kindergarten-through-third-grade years set the foundation upon which future learning builds; and strengthening this continuum creates opportunities for later success. Key components of a quality experience in K-3 include school readiness and transitions, kindergarten requirements,…

Using statewide administrative data from a sample of children enrolled in public prekindergarten (pre-K) programs in Massachusetts, I examined heterogeneity in children's absenteeism patterns from pre-K to Grade 3 and linked these patterns to their Grade 3 academic outcomes. After latent class growth analysis, six absenteeism patterns emerged. The…

The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected children's care and education worldwide. This article reports on patterns of participation in early childhood education and care (ECEC) across Australia as influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic and national policies. Using ECEC data from Xplor -- a software platform used across Australian childcare…

Foundational reading skills are key to the mastery of early literacy skills. While the process of reading is characterized by a combination of both word decoding skills and language comprehension, there are many reading skills that contribute to students being able to proficiently read text. In addition to mastery of skills, good school attendance…

In 2020 preschool participation rates substantially declined. A recent NIEER survey found that the Fall 2022 preschool participation rates had nearly returned to pre-pandemic 2019 levels. The NIEER survey asked parents of young children who were still not in preschool in the Fall of 2022 to report why they did not enroll their children. The top…

Chronic absenteeism is a critical issue that has been linked to many adverse student outcomes. The current study focuses on improving a key system already in place in many school districts--early warning systems (EWSs)--in order to decrease chronic absenteeism in students' earliest schooling years. Using a demographically diverse population of…

This Education Leadership Portfolio's (ELP) improvement goal was to reduce student chronic absence at West Seaford Elementary School (WSES), a K-2 public school in the Seaford School District (SSD), where I serve as principal. Significant levels of student chronic absence have been and remain common at WSES, and--according to national and state…

Several studies have analysed the impact of attending early childhood education centres on communication, regulatory skills and social-emotional development. These educational institutions have increased in presence annually, partially due to the access of women to the labour market. It has been found that infant education may modulate development…

Early childhood education contributes to improved school readiness but impacts on high school remain unclear. This study estimates the effects of Tulsa, Oklahoma's universal pre-K and Head Start programs through the junior year of high school (in 2018/2019; N = 2902; M[subscript age] = 16.52, SD = 0.39; 48% female; 28% white, 34% Black, 27%…

Research suggests that elementary school absenteeism can contribute to deficits in achievement. It is less clear how the timing and growth in rates of attendance shape early elementary school achievement. The present study examined the role of absenteeism in pre-K and early elementary school in the context of third-grade achievement, along with…

This sequential mixed methods study evaluated the impact of the Chicago Parent Program (CPP) in 12 Baltimore Title I PreK programs on parent engagement and student outcomes from kindergarten through 2nd grade. Phase 1 (quasi-experiment; N = 11,996) compared PreK students whose parents enrolled in CPP with those whose parents did not enroll in CPP…

While a controversial practice internationally, homeschooling is not uncommon in the United States' educational system. Although myriad reasons exist for choosing to homeschool one's children, a framework highlighting reactive versus proactive motivations has emerged to explain why some families choose to homeschool. Using prospective,…

This dissertation examined the relationship that additional recess has on office discipline referrals. The relationship between additional recess time and student attendance was also examined in the study. Many research projects have been completed during the No Child Left Behind era where recess was reduced in many schools to allow for more…