ERIC Number: EJ1057395
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2015-May
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0739-9863
EISSN: N/A
The Influence of Ethnic Match on Latino School-Based Family Engagement
Mundt, Kevin; Gregory, Anne; Melzi, Gigliana; McWayne, Christine M.
Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, v37 n2 p170-185 May 2015
Research has shown that the school-based engagement of Latino families is lower compared with other racial and ethnic groups. One possible barrier to school-based engagement of this heterogeneous group of families might be the lack of cultural match between families and schools. Addressing this under-researched area, the current study examined ethnic match between Latino caregivers and teachers at seven Head Start centers in a large urban area in the Northeast. Participants were 294 Latino caregivers with children enrolled in Head Start programs and 37 Head Start teachers. Using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM), findings indicated that ethnic match (defined by whether a caregiver and the Head Start teacher both identified as Latino) was significantly associated with teacher-rated family engagement. Having a Latino teacher explained a significant amount of the variance in school-based family engagement, beyond that accounted for by caregiver and teacher education. Implications for Head Start's recruitment and training of teachers are discussed.
Descriptors: Hierarchical Linear Modeling, Teacher Education, Teacher Recruitment, Disadvantaged Youth, Ethnicity, Hispanic American Students, Parent Participation, Urban Areas, Barriers, Cultural Differences, Family School Relationship, Preschool Education, Preschool Teachers, Teacher Characteristics, Child Caregivers, Likert Scales, Teacher Attitudes, Prediction, Statistical Analysis
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Preschool Education; Early Childhood Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) (NIH); Administration for Children and Families (DHHS)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: 5R03HD50363-2; 90YR0063