Exploring the Relationship Between Home and School Experiences and Kindergarten Readiness for Higher and Lower Income Preschoolers

The main goal of this study was to determine the degree and pattern of relationship between home and school factors and school readiness outcomes for higher and lower income families. Participants in the study were 171 preschoolers, their parents and their preschool teachers. The analyses considered the relationships between school readiness in preschoolers and the following four factors found to be important for preschoolers: 1) quality of home environment, 2) quality of the classroom environment 3) the attachment relationship with parents, and 4) the attachment relationship with teachers. Differences did exist in what contributed to school readiness for higher and lower income preschoolers. For higher income children living in a two-parent household the teacher-child relationship significantly predicted school readiness outcomes. For lower income children the sole predictor of school readiness was what happened in the home: both the security of the parent-child relationship and the quality of the learning activities within the home. Unlike with the higher income sample, no relationship was seen between teacher attachment and school readiness or parent attachment. Possible reasons for and implications of these differences are discussed.