108 - Learning about school readiness promotion from successful low-income communities in Oregon

Poster Number: 108
Publication Number: 108.409

Kylie Seeley, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford, Mountain View, CA, United States; Gina M. Richardson, Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine, Portland, OR, United States; Veronica I. Carrasco, Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine, Portland, OR, United States; Alejandro Robles, Southern Oregon University, Central Point, OR, United States; Ellen Stevenson, Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine, Portland, OR, United States; Katharine Zuckerman, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States; Jaime W. Peterson, Oregon Health Science University, Portland, OR, United States

Background: Children from low-income households often enter kindergarten with lower school readiness (SR) than their more affluent peers, creating educational gaps which may widen throughout their academic careers. However, some children and communities employ unique behaviors and strategies which enable them to have better outcomes. A positive deviance approach allows for identification of outliers known as positive deviants (PD) and explores potential factors that may be contributing to improved SR in low resource communities. Learning from schools where students are succeeding despite coming from under-resourced environments may elucidate best practices.

Objective: To identify family, school, and community factors and approaches that contribute to SR of kindergarteners in Oregon.

Design/Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews (Nf9) with community stakeholders associated with three PD schools (April-September 2021). Schools were selected from 23 previously identified high poverty PD schools (serving at least 75% students on free or reduced lunch while exceling on the Oregon Kindergarten Assessment). Interviews were completed in English and/or Spanish, audio recorded, and transcribed. Iterative team-based coding and inductive thematic analysis of interviews were conducted.

Results: Stakeholders interviewed across three separate PD communities included health care providers (Nf4), school administrators (Nf2), and teachers or teacher assistants (Nf 3). Three major domains emerged regarding family characteristics, school-level programming, and community engagement. Subthemes included: 1) stakeholders prioritized social-emotional skills over academic skills; 2) onsite preschools and community programs allowed for early inclusion of families into the school community and promoted continuity from preschool to kindergarten; and 3) cultural proficiency and dual-language programs encouraged parental engagement before kindergarten (Table 1).Conclusion(s): Stakeholders consistently identified family engagement as a key component of their school or community values, with a focus on cultural responsiveness, early family connection, and developing relationships before kindergarten. Additional interviews are ongoing across PDs to strengthen findings and increase generalizability. Successful communities supported onsite preschools and childcare facilities and encouraged parental involvement via culturally inclusive community outreach programs. With increased understanding of successful school and community strategies, pediatricians can better advocate for and connect families with SR resources before kindergarten entry.
Table 1. Themes and Representative Quotes from Positive Deviant School Stakeholder Interviews (n=9*)