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LATINO FAMILY ENGAGEMENT ACROSS PRESCHOOL TYPES: A COMPARISON OF HEAD START AND PUBLIC PRESCHOOL IN NYC

Julianne Pelegrino

Latino children are the largest and fastest growing ethnic groups in the United States. They make up nearly one quarter of the  school-aged population served in elementary schools in the United States. However, national statistics show that at kindergarten entry, children of Latino descent often lack necessary foundational skills that enable them to further their academic success. One of the many factors that play a crucial role in children's early learning is the level of parental engagement in supporting education at home, school, and community. This research examined variations in the family engagement between parents whose children attend Head Start and those who attend public preschool.The PEFL survey was administered to parents from lowincome households with attending Head Start (n = 89 ), or public preschool (n = 79 ) Results indicated that parents’ whose children attended Head Start had higher levels of family engagement, specifically supplemental education and school participation, than those whose children attended public preschool. Results support differences in the philosophies and approaches between Head Start and public schools, in particular for families from marginalized communities. Based on these findings, the pedagogy and application of Head Start programs should be incorporated into public schools to increase levels of family engagement in the lowincome population. Keywords: family engagement, Head Start, Latino