Advisory Committee Chair
Julie Preskitt
Advisory Committee Members
David Becker
Matthew Fifolt
Candace Knight
Martha S Wingate
Document Type
Dissertation
Date of Award
2023
Degree Name by School
Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) School of Public Health
Abstract
This study examined the relationship between home visiting and school readiness in Alabama. Topics included a scoping review of the home visiting literature, statistical analyses of Alabama’s Teaching Strategies GOLD® (GOLD) data to determine if there were differences in performance among children who received home visiting compared to those who did not, and the development of a Key Driver Diagram (KDD) to inform improvement in home visiting practices that support school readiness. The scoping review of the literature indicated an absence of consistent definitions and measurement of the concept of school readiness. Through thematic analysis of the articles, contextual factors that impede or promote school readiness in the home environment were identified and defined. The statistical analysis of GOLD data, measured at pre-kindergarten entry into Alabama’s First Class Pre-K program, resulted in a finding of null results of Alabama’s home visiting program on school readiness with one exception: children who received home visiting services were less likely to score favorably on the cognitive domain. Development of the KDD addressed the findings of the scoping review by fleshing out the definition of school readiness and the theory by which home visiting can address contextual factors that impede school readiness in the home environment. The KDD addressed the null findings of the statistical analysis by focusing on improvements in practice that may lead to improved school readiness. Future research should include qualitative and quantitative data collection and analyses to develop a conceptual model of school readiness; additional multivariable analyses that better account for nuances in home visiting participation intensity, timing, and duration and context; and the development of a full change package for use in Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) efforts.
Recommended Citation
Johnson, Heather H., "Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting and School Readiness in Alabama" (2023). All ETDs from UAB. 9.
https://digitalcommons.library.uab.edu/etd-collection/9