Integrated School–Family Partnerships in Preschool: Building Quality Involvement Through Multidimensional Relationships Elena Nitecki Abstract The purpose of this study is to examine a preschool program with a high level of quality family involvement. Since family involvement during the early years has been linked to achievement and success in school, it is important to examine how such partnerships can be fostered in a meaningful way. The study employs an inductive qualitative approach, including observation and interviews. The integrated school–family partnerships existing at this suburban preschool are attributed to three main factors: the multidimensional nature of the relationships, a welcoming environment, and an effort to enhance par- ents’ cognitions about school. This case study, which addresses contextual gaps in the parent involvement literature, could serve as a generative paradigm for facilitating meaningful school–family partnerships in preschool, which is an important part of a child’s educational foundation. Key Words: preschool, school–family partnerships, relationships, early child- hood, Montessori education, parents, involvement, welcoming environment Introduction The first day of preschool is emotional for the mother of 4-year-old Kayla. Clinging to her mother’s leg, Kayla peers into the classroom where other chil- dren are playing, but her mother’s mind is racing. How could she hand off her baby to complete strangers? Will they know how to handle all of her little School Community Journal, 2015, Vol. 25, No. 2 195 Available at http://www.schoolcommunitynetwork.org/SCJ.aspx SCHOOL COMMUNITY JOURNAL quirks? Is she ready for this? Then, Kayla and her mother are greeted with the teacher’s warm smile. The connection between teachers and parents has much potential, including calming parental fears as a child begins preschool. Preschool is an important time, bridging learning at home to a formalized learning environment and setting the tone for K–12 education. The current expansion of preschool programs through the universal pre-K movement only focuses more attention on the importance of early education. As preschool is becoming a standard part of the formal educational system in the United States, the role of families cannot be minimized. Meaningful school–family re- lationships begin in preschool and have the potential to shape the child’s and family’s perceptions of school over time. Families represent the first essential system and source of support for chil- dren’s learning and development, serving as a lifelong resource to children (Downer & Meyers, 2010; Henderson & Mapp, 2002; Jeynes, 2014). De- cades of research demonstrate that family involvement is a critical contributor to student success (Christenson & Reschly, 2010; Cotton & Wikelund, 1989; El Nokali, Bachman, & Votruba Drzal, 2010; Epstein, 2010; Epstein & Shel- don, 2006; Fishel & Ramirez, 2005; Henderson & Mapp, 2002; Lareau, 1989; ‐ Larocque, Kleiman, & Darling, 2011; Marcon, 1999; Sheldon, 2005; Taylor, Clayton, & Rowley, 2004; Wilder, 2014). Specific to the child’s first experi- ences in school, parental involvement in early childhood education has been linked to greater success once children enter elementary school (Jeynes, 2014; Miedel & Reynolds, 1999). Although the role of families is paramount as young children transition into school, the goal of achieving meaningful family involvement remains a chal- lenge in many schools (Christenson & Reschly, 2010; Larocque et al., 2011; McNeal, 2014). This case study is a notable example of school–family part- nerships in a small preschool program. This case exemplifies many qualities of successful and positive school–family relationships which may serve as a model for preschools trying to build a solid foundation of family partnership during the child’s first exposure to formalized schooling. Three themes will be explored as components of building school–family partnerships: the multidimensional nature of the relationships (or social interactions that extend beyond the typi- cal teacher–parent relationship), a welcoming environment, and an effort to enhance parents’ cognitions about school. Paradigm Shift: Parent Involvement to School–Family Partnerships Parent involvement has long been considered a pathway through which schools could support their students, enhance the academic achievement of 196 PRESCHOOL–FAMILY PARTNERSHIPS underperforming children (Christenson & Reschly, 2010; Larocque et al., 2011; Pianta & Walsh 1996; Wilder, 2014), and address behavioral issues (Webster-Stratton, Reid, & Hammond, 2001). Educators recognize that par- ent involvement is a valuable component of the child’s education. Literature on this topic over the last 25 years has examined effective practices of school, family, and community partnership (Christenson & Reschly, 2010; Downer & Myers, 2010; Epstein, 2001, 2010; Epstein & Sheldon, 2006; Henderson & Mapp, 2002; Jeynes, 2014; Lareau, 1989; Larocque et al., 2011; Marcon, 1999; Moorman et al., 2012; Pianta & Walsh, 1996; Sheldon, 2002; Webster- Stratton et al., 2001; Wilder, 2014). Overall, this research points to positive outcomes when families are involved in their child’s education. Recently, a paradigm shift has occurred. Increased awareness of environmental and eco- logical factors in a child’s world and their impact on school performance has gained prominence, especially given the recent pressures of increased educator accountability (Downer & Meyers, 2010; Epstein, 2010; Epstein & Sheldon, 2006; Wilder, 2014). This newer conception of the family’s role in a child’s education has evolved from one of limited “parent involvement” to a more comprehensive model of “school–family–community partnership” (Epstein, 2010). This shift is significant for educators, who must now consider a broader scope of influence on their students and the potential that presents. “Parent involvement” focuses on “the participation of significant caregivers, including parents, grandparents, stepparents, foster parents, etc., in activities promoting the educational process of their children in order to promote their academic and social well-being” (Fishel & Ramirez, 2005, p. 371). Involve- ment includes practices at home, such as providing a place and structure for homework, inquiring about school, helping the child with homework, com- municating with the teacher, and responding to school requests. This model also includes more active types of parent involvement, such as parents hav- ing a presence at school, volunteering, or becoming involved in PTA or other parent–school groups. Both types of parent involvement are associated with positive development and mastery of early basic school skills in all subject areas (Lareau, 1989; Marcon, 1999; Rimm-Kaufman & Pianta, 2005; Taylor et al., 2004). Parent involvement is a key component of early childhood education policy and programs, such as Head Start (Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act, 2007), and, most recently, the universal pre-K movement. These programs encourage parent involvement by inviting parents to participate in activities at school and facilitating parent–teacher communication. The work of Epstein (2001, 2010) and Sheldon (2005) precipitated the paradigm shift from “parent involvement” to “school, family, and community partnership.” Joyce Epstein’s theory of “overlapping spheres of influence” (2001) 197 SCHOOL COMMUNITY JOURNAL improves the portrayal of how home, school, and community affect children’s education and development. This terminology of “partnership” extends be- yond simple involvement to recognize that parents, educators, and others in the community share responsibility for students’ learning and development in a more collaborative fashion (Epstein & Sheldon, 2006). Partnerships are child-focused approaches wherein families and professionals cooperate, coor- dinate, and collaborate to enhance opportunities and success for children and adolescents across developmentally appropriate social, emotional, behavioral, and academic domains (Downer & Myers, 2010; Jeynes, 2014; Lines, Miller, & Arthur-Stanley, 2010; Rimm-Kaufman & Pianta, 2005). While parent in- volvement models view educators as leading the child’s education and include parents as supporters of that process, parent partnership models position educa- tors and families as partners in a long-term, collaborative effort to enhance the child’s education and development. Consistent with this philosophical distinction, the subjects of research and literature utilizing the two paradigms differ. Literature rooted in the original general parent involvement model focuses on the structure of activities, such as various forms of communication, homework monitoring, tutoring, or estab- lishing consistent household rules to address behavioral issues (El Nokali et al., 2010; Fishel & Ramirez, 2005; Lareau, 1989; Larocque et al., 2011; Mar- con, 1999; Rimm-Kaufman & Pianta, 2005; Webster-Stratton et al., 2001). More recent school–family partnership models have a broader scope, focusing on the relational factors (e.g., the nature and quality of the relationships and interactions) between families, school staff, teachers, and children to support the child’s learning and development (Downer & Meyers, 2010; Epstein & Sheldon, 2006; Jeynes, 2014; Lines et al., 2010; Moorman et al., 2012). The paradigm shift from a structural parent involvement model to a relational, ho- listic school–family partnership model has pushed educators and researchers to consider the structure and depth of these relationships, not just the activities taking place. This case study is an attempt to examine school–family partner- ships using the broad partnership approach, focusing on the school and family components and paying special attention to the relational factors. Addressing the Gaps in the Literature Although there has been much research on the relationships between schools, teachers, parents/families, and students, there are identified gaps in context and content. Moorman et al. (2012) conducted a comprehensive review of the literature on this topic, including 27,000 studies since 1979. Moorman et al. identified four gaps which are addressed in this case study: the paradigm uti- lized, geographic context, age group of children, and focus of study. 198 PRESCHOOL–FAMILY PARTNERSHIPS As described in the literature review, the prevalent models used to exam- ine the role of parents in school have been parent involvement models, while family partnership models have become more popular over the last 10 years. Moorman et al. (2012) found that 83.3% of the studies on parent intervention since 1979 have investigated the effects of a parent involvement approach while only 16.7% utilized a school–family partnership approach. Although this part- nership approach is being employed more frequently, it is still fairly new, and previous research has failed to operationalize variables of interest (Epstein & Sheldon, 2006; Henderson & Mapp, 2002; Moorman et al., 2012). This case study is an attempt to describe some of the variables of interest which could be further defined in future qualitative or quantitative studies. Another gap in the parent involvement/partnership research is examining different geographical contexts. According to Moorman et al. (2012), more than one-third of the studies did not report the type of community where the study was conducted, while many of the remaining studies were conducted in urban areas (31%) followed by rural (15.8%). This study examines the less- observed suburban communities which constituted only 5.3% of the studies that reported location. The age group is another gap in the current literature. Only 22.6% of the studies on parental involvement or partnership models examined a preschool setting, despite the documented importance of establishing positive family re- lationships early in the child’s academic experience (Jeynes, 2014; Miedel & Reynolds, 1999). The increased public scrutiny due to the expansion toward universal pre-K calls for specific research in preschool settings. The current study was conducted in a suburban preschool serving children in the 2.5- to 6-year-old range. In terms of focus, relationships are the hallmark of the partnership model, which attempts to define various aspects of these relationships or “relation- al components” (Epstein, 2010; Moorman et al., 2012). The least common relational components reported in the literature since 1979 are creating a wel- coming school environment and enhancing parents’ cognitions about the school, at less than 5% each (Moorman et al., 2012). The current study exam- ines the research question: How does this suburban preschool program build integrated school–family partnerships? To answer this question, three themes will be examined: the multidimensional nature of relationships, creating a wel- coming school environment, and enhancing parents’ cognitions about school. 199 SCHOOL COMMUNITY JOURNAL The Setting: Millcreek School The Community Millcreek School (Note: the school and all personal names used are pseud- onyms) is a private preschool located in a region that is still feeling the effects of the financial recession. This community is a small suburb on the fringe of a large metropolitan statistical area, as defined by U.S. Census Bureau (2010). Located 70 miles from a large northeastern city, there are few job opportuni- ties, unless one is willing to endure a lengthy commute to work closer to the city. The small town of less than 3,000 people is surrounded by rural areas. Since Millcreek enrolls students from all over the county, demographic data from the county is useful in understanding the community composition. The last census (2010) recorded about 57,000 residents in the county, with a slight decline since 2000. Diversity is somewhat lacking in this community, with the overwhelming majority of the residents being Caucasian (82.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (9.5%), and Black or African American (6.2%). The major challenge in this community is economic. Although the median household income is $58,474, the unemployment rate is one of the highest in the state, hovering between 8.8–10.4% (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2013). Twenty-two percent of the population has a college degree, compared to the statewide figure of 27% (U.S. Census, 2010). Although the commu- nity as a whole is considered economically disadvantaged, the parents at the Millcreek School are disproportionately educated and middle to upper class, compared to the rest of the community. Another challenge, perhaps stemming from economic challenges and a high unemployment rate, is a low level of preschool attendance. According to local school district data, only 40% of 4-year-old children attend preschool. This is a low level of preschool participation, compared to the 64% of the nation’s 4-year-olds attending some form of preschool (NCES, 2010). It is understand- able that families with financial challenges cannot afford preschool, but there has not been an overwhelming response to the school district’s free preschool program either. The public school district preschool program started a few years ago for children with special needs and those who qualified financially. Recent- ly, the district expanded their half-day program to all 4-year-old children in the district. Despite the district’s expansion, preschool enrollment for 4-year- olds remains low. This finding is concerning since kindergarten retention rates have increased in this district, and the Common Core Learning Standards have raised the bar in terms of what is expected of young elementary school chil- dren. As one school district representative stated, “We are trying…preschool is here, and it is free. Why parents are not availing themselves is baffling.” Despite 200 PRESCHOOL–FAMILY PARTNERSHIPS this trend, it is noteworthy to examine the 40% of families who do send their children to preschool. These children attend the public preschool, daycares with a preschool curriculum, and private preschools like Millcreek. The School Millcreek has a history of being family-oriented. The school was founded eight years ago by a small group of friends who were trained abroad in Montes- sori methods. Although there have been setbacks—namely, the untimely death of one of the founders, some contention between the remaining owners, and declining enrollment—the school has survived. Millcreek is private and finan- cially supported through tuition. Although the tuition at Millcreek is among the lowest for Montessori schools in the region and comparable to other pri- vate preschools in the area, it is out of reach for many of the families in the county. Similar Montessori schools in the city have tuition three times the rate at Millcreek. Millcreek has not raised the tuition in four years and has a pro- gram in place to assist presently enrolled families under financial strain. Even so, enrollment dropped from an all-time high in 2008–2009 of 38 children to a low of 13 students in 2013–2014. As a result, two teachers and an assistant have been laid off, and the school is operating with a restricted budget. At the time of this study, the student body was composed of four females and nine males, ranging in age from 2.5 to 6 years old. Consistent with the Montessori model of multiage grouping, the children were grouped together with the same teachers in this two-room school. The director manages the administrative aspects of the school on a part-time basis but is rarely on site. There are three female teachers: one head teacher who is Montessori-certified, Ms. Beth, and two part-time, volunteer assistants, Ms. Sue (a parent) and Ms. Ann (a parent of a Millcreek graduate), both of whom have backgrounds in the field of education and share the position of assistant teacher. Since Millcreek adheres to a specific curricular model, it is important to understand the classroom setting which is quite distinct from other preschool curricula. The Montessori model is known for its emphasis on independent learning and its supportive community, preparing children to grow into life- long learners and responsible citizens of the world (American Montessori Society, 2013). The Montessori model is highly individualized and encour- ages independence, so children work at their own pace; this is a major benefit of multiage grouping. Children choose their own “work,” so they feel a sense of ownership and control over their learning. The materials are designed for a developmental progression in five areas of Montessori education: language, practical life, mathematics, sensorial, and geography/cultural studies (Ameri- can Montessori Society, 2013). During the long “work” period (2–3 hours), 201 SCHOOL COMMUNITY JOURNAL the teacher works individually with children on their progress in various areas. The day also consists of group “circle time” and social time at recess and lunch. The Montessori program at Millcreek has impressive results. Last year, 90% of the graduating preschoolers (4- and 5-year-olds) at Millcreek were already at a kindergarten reading level or higher. Traditional academic skills are not the only focus of learning. Teachers emphasize the development of social and emo- tional skills and integrate themes of sustainability, active lifestyles, and healthy eating throughout the year. The well-rounded approach to learning considers the development of the whole child. Most relevant to this study, the Montessori philosophy encourages family partnerships and the use of Montessori principles in the home as a valuable bridge to what the child learns in the classroom (American Montessori Society, 2013). Indeed, there is a focused effort to build this “valuable bridge” between home and school. Every single family at Millcreek has contributed time or re- sources (other than tuition) in some way to Millcreek. This level of involvement exists in sharp contrast to the surrounding community, in which preschool ed- ucation is not necessarily a priority or a possibility for many families. Methodology This case study employed an inductive participatory action research ap- proach to examine how a preschool program fostered positive and integrated school–family partnerships. The case study as a qualitative method is appro- priate for inductive, exploratory research that can then be used to formulate more specific questions or identify trends (Creswell, 2013). The case study was inductive since it began with the general research question: “How does this suburban preschool program build integrated school–family partnerships?” During eight months of data collection, institutional background information and data were collected first. Then, interviews of the 3 teachers and 18 parents (at least one parent of each child) were conducted. The focus of the interview was the parents’ perceptions of their experiences at Millcreek, specifically their role as partners in their child’s education. Classroom observation occurred 48 times, including drop-off and pick-up interactions. In addition, observation included 12 family events, meetings outside of school hours, and two meetings at the public school district. A memorandum of understanding between the school and researcher was approved, and IRB approval was obtained. Three forms of data were triangulated to establish themes: observations at the school, interviews with teachers and parents, and documents from the school and surrounding community, including demographic data and insti- tutional records. The discussions from the interviews were audiorecorded and 202 PRESCHOOL–FAMILY PARTNERSHIPS transcribed verbatim. Observations were documented with the observer’s notes. All data collection and analysis was personally conducted by the principal in- vestigator. To assure consistency and trustworthiness, observation criteria was stipulated and a thoughtful set of questions was used with at least one parent of every child at Millcreek, ensuring diversity of perspectives and information- rich sampling. The qualitative data was then systematically coded and analyzed to find similar themes from all three sources: the institutional documentation, the interviews, and the observations. During the course of exploring this data, open coding was used to identify three main themes: nurturing multidimen- sional relationships, creating a welcoming school environment, and enhancing parents’ cognitions about school. Once these themes were established, axial coding was used to investigate the connections between the evi dence and these three themes. At the conclusion of data analysis, member checks were con- ducted with the teacher, the director, and most of the parents to ensure that the findings were sound and credible. Findings This case study revealed three major themes in answer to the question of how Millcreek built integrated school–family partnerships: 1. Multidimensional relationships occurred across all six components of Ep- stein’s (2001) framework for school–family-community partnerships. 2. Creating a welcoming environment was essential to the development of the relationship. 3. Enhancing parents’ cognitions about preschool education and their role in the child’s learning resulted in the buy-in necessary for a true partnership. Multidimensional Relationships The multidimensional nature of the relationships between the families and the school was critical in terms of understanding how the school–family partnership functions. These relationships extended beyond the typical teach- er–parent interactions focused on the child’s performance in the classroom to include other interactions, both professional and social in nature. Joyce Ep- stein’s six structural components of school–family–community partnerships (2001, 2010) were used as a foundation to explore these relationships: com- munication, parenting, learning at home, volunteering, decision making, and collaborating with the community. Millcreek was successful in creating parental involvement in all six components of school–family–community partnerships by establishing rich relationships with families. 203 SCHOOL COMMUNITY JOURNAL Communication The cornerstone of a strong relationship is open communication; this was evident at Millcreek. There was a well-attended Back to School Night, news- letters were sent home every two weeks, and parent–teacher conferences were conducted twice a year. Aside from these typical activities, the most meaning- ful form of communication in terms of building relationships was informal daily chats at drop-off and pick-up. The assistant took children to find work while the head teacher, Ms. Beth, talked with each and every parent, which was not difficult in a small school like Millcreek. Ms. Beth described this as “a necessary part of what we do in Montessori education. It also makes it much easier to bring up issues when you feel comfortable with the parents.” Indeed, problems could be handled immediately, instead of waiting for a phone call or conference. The observations revealed many topics covered during these daily chats. Parents asked questions, updated the teacher on situations at home, and just chatted socially. Many conversations extended to topics beyond the class- room. Ms. Beth has lived in this community for many years, has three grown children who went through the school district, and knows many of the families in contexts outside of school. This kind of community presence fostered the growth of relationships that extended beyond typical parent–teacher conversa- tion. For example, this multidimensional nature was captured in an interaction observed at the end of a school day. Ms. Beth and the parent of 4-year-old Cathy covered the following topics: Cathy’s work that day, her unwillingness to share with others, the upcoming Easter parade, places to get a good pedi- cure, their common friend’s difficult divorce, and family plans for the Easter break. The conversation bounced back and forth between a parent–teacher and friend–friend conversation. This complexity allowed each to know the other more deeply and built a foundation of mutual respect, which is essential for communication and partnership. The partnership approach focuses not only on the methods of communica- tion, but how this communication occurs and develops over time. Over eight months of observation, specifically of the new parents at Millcreek, revealed that brief daily updates often evolved into multidimensional relationships. In fact, several parents characterized Ms. Beth as not only a teacher, but a friend by the end of the year. Much of the multidimensional relationship-building with parents at Millcreek had to do with the attitude of the teacher, Ms. Beth. Ms. Beth is funny and light-hearted. The parents overwhelmingly “love” Ms. Beth. As one parent described, “Beth is so special. She has the perfect preschool personality…bubbly and fun, but stern if need be.” Ms. Beth made en effort with every parent, even those who were not as involved as others, which is not always the case in classrooms with more students. This warm, open approach 204