Research Findings: The Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP) provides formative assessment of five domains of learning and development that are essential for school success. The current study provides an approach for establishing thresholds of readiness using the DRDP in relation to California's early learning expectations. DRDP data…

This study aimed to test a four-wave sequential mediation model linking mother-child attachment to children's school readiness through child executive functioning (EF) and prosociality in toddlerhood and the preschool years. Mother-child attachment security was assessed when children (N = 255) were aged 15 months and 2 years, child EF at age 2,…

This study used an embedded mixed method design to examine teachers' experiences with a state-mandated kindergarten readiness assessment during its inaugural year. Participants were 143 kindergarten teachers from one county in a Midwestern state. In general, teachers did not perceive the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment as useful for one of its…

Vocabulary knowledge and speed of lexical access are early components of linguistic skill that co-develop rapidly in the first two years of life. Evidence suggests that these components are foundational for downstream linguistic and cognitive skills and that early individual differences set the stage for a developmental cascade throughout the…

This study used a person-centered approach to identify school readiness profiles in a sample of kindergartners (n=1,826) from a large and diverse school district in the United States. Using latent profile analyses and multilevel modeling, we examined three aims: 1) whether patterns of readiness skills at kindergarten entry could be detected, 2)…

Early childhood care and education (ECCE) programs are an important mechanism for supporting foundational skill development and successful progression through later schooling. School readiness assessments that serve as reliable indicators of children's later educational outcomes are most useful for education systems, but little is known about how…

Whilst transition to primary school is a commonly experienced phenomenon for most children, some groups of children, including those with disabilities, are less likely to engage in the process because it can be very challenging for them and their families. This article presents evidence from a review of research looking at the transition of…

Research in the United States (U.S.) documents that young Latino children whose families are characterized by demographic risk factors disproportionately lack the early literacy skills needed to successfully transition to kindergarten. Quantitative studies using comparative samples have found lower quality home learning environments and lower…

The results of studies on early competences suggest that the child's delay of gratification (DoG) ability is a major predictor of school readiness (SR). However, there are no direct data or convincing explanations as to how DoG translates into preschool children's readiness to commence school education. Aiming at a better understanding of the…

This study examined bidirectional relations between television exposure and effortful control accounting for the effects of family contextual risk factors. Data were from a sample (N = 306) of parents and their preschool-age children (T1 M = 36 mos. in 2008-2010) assessed four times, once every 9 mos. At T1, adolescent parent status predicted…

Due to barriers to kindergarten readiness, many kindergarten students do not enter kindergarten with the prerequisite skills needed for reading. A number of students do not leave kindergarten with adequate reading skills needed for future success. As a result, students are ill-prepared for first grade and are at risk for future reading failure.…

Social and emotional learning (SEL) has become a growing field of research over the past two decades because students need to be psychologically stable and academically strong. While academic success is important, the SEL of students is vital to their performance. The setting for this quantitative descriptive study was a recognized rural Head…

Social and emotional learning (SEL) has become a growing field of research over the past two decades because students need to be psychologically stable and academically strong. While academic success is important, the SEL of students is vital to their performance. The setting for this quantitative descriptive study was a recognized rural Head…

This dissertation consists of two chapters on topics in economics of education. In the first chapter, I develop and estimate an equilibrium model of endogenous instruction and student effort in order to empirically investigate the relationship between instructional choices, classroom composition, and student achievement in elementary school. The…

In the U.S., one-third of preschool children attend programs run by childcare centers. Childcare centers are generally isolated and under-resourced businesses, often challenged by high rates of teacher turnover and inconsistent financial support. Correspondingly, childcare centers often struggle to provide high-quality educational experiences for…