Houston Education Research Consortium · Rice University
[email protected] · Find us online: herc.rice.edu
Key Findings
Distance is a major driver of pre-k
choice and enrollment. The reason
families prioritized particular pre-k
programs and ultimately chose the
program in which they enrolled
their child was the distance the
program was located from their
home.
A majority of families enroll their
children in their first-choice pre-k.
Over 70% of families enroll their
children in their first-choice school.
Parents learn about pre-k options
from friends and family. Although
parents report other sources of
information, the vast majority
receive information about HISD
pre-k offerings from family and friends.
Parents believe highly trained teachers and aides are important in pre-k.
Parent beliefs about importance of pre-k characteristics varies by language and school characteristics. The
language of the survey taken by parents (English vs. Spanish), the proportion of EL students on the campus, and
the proportion of economically disadvantaged students on a campus were all associated with ratings of the
importance of various pre-k characteristics.
Erin Baumgartner, Ph.D. & Courtney Thrash, M.A.
November 2020
Distance and program characteristics drive parental pre-kindergarten (pre-k) choice. This study reflects the
third in a series of briefs examining pre-k enrollment and access for students in the Houston Independent
School District (HISD). The aims of this study are to identify characteristics that drive enrollment, understand
where parents receive their information about HISD pre-k options, and understand parental beliefs about
which program characteristics are most important. Findings suggest distance from home is one of the
primary drivers of pre-k parental choice for their children. Additionally, program characteristics are
important, specifically whether programs have highly trained teachers and teacher aides. However, variation
in parental beliefs exist by language of survey participation and campus-level proportions of English-language
learners (EL) or economically disadvantaged students. Parents report learning about HISD pre-k programs
through family and friends.
Pre-K Preferences: How and Why
HISD Parents Choose Pre-K Programs
2
Pre-K and Parent Preferences
Study background
To date, the youngest students in public education – pre-k students – have been largely ignored in past
research on public school choice. School choice refers to the opportunities that exist for students, within
a public school district, to enroll in any program with space available. HISD offers students and families
the ability to exercise school choice.
In a number of ways, pre-k may be one of the most important points at which school choice decisions are
made. First, prior research has established the importance of high-quality early education in improving
student readiness at school entry and beyond. Second, for a majority of students, the school they enter at
pre-k goes on to serve as the school for their elementary years along with its subsequent feeder pattern
into middle and high school. Therefore, choice at this early stage has both short- and long-term
implications.
However, research on school choice assumes parents and guardians (hereafter, parents) are making
informed decisions about the campus in which they enroll their child. This suggests all parents have some
opportunity to access information about the educational opportunities available to their child and that
parents know how to process this information when making a decision. Yet, not all families are equipped
with these resources, which may translate into negative educational opportunities and outcomes for
students starting as early as pre-k. Additionally, there may be other factors beyond program
characteristics that influence how and why parents choose programs for their children, such as distance
from home or whether other children in the family attend the school.
This brief aims to answer the following questions:
1. Which factors do parents consider when choosing where to enroll their children in
pre-k?
2. Where do parents obtain information about HISD pre-k options?
3. Which characteristics of pre-k programs do parents believe are most important?
Data and sample
A majority of the data presented here come from an anonymous survey about home literacy practices
sent to parents of HISD pre-k through fifth grade students in fall 2018. If a parent indicated they had a
child in pre-k, they received a supplemental questionnaire. The supplemental questionnaire asked
parents to report how they learned about pre-k program options in this district, how they ultimately
chose a program, and which characteristics of pre-k programs they believed were important.
Nearly 300 parents of pre-k students participated in the survey, representing about 334 students, as
some parents had multiple pre-k children. Since there were over 14,000 HISD pre-k students enrolled at
the time of the survey, these parent responses represent about 2% of all pre-k students.
1
Some results
presented below reflect smaller numbers of responses because of missing data. About 76% of parents
responded to the survey in English and 24% responded in Spanish.
1
This reflects parent responses on over 107 campuses in HISD. In the 2018-2019 school year, 165 campuses had
pre-k programs.
3
Key Findings
1
Distance is a significant driver of pre-k enrollment
Parents were asked, “What is the primary reason you ultimately chose the pre-k your child attends?” As
shown in Figure 1, distance of pre-k from parents’ home, work, or other caregiver is a significant factor
for parents when choosing a pre-k for their children. Nearly 40% of parental decisions about pre-k
enrollment were driven by distance, with families particularly sensitive to distance of these programs
from their homes. When asked about their first choice for pre-k, whether or not it was the program in
which they ultimately enrolled, over 70% of parents who responded identified a school’s distance from
their home as the reason a particular program was their first choice (Appendix, Table 2).
Parents also care about program characteristics
Another way parents made decisions about where they enrolled their child in pre-k was based on the
specific programs offered at a campus or their perceived quality of the program. As shown in Figure 1,
24.7% of parents indicated the programs offered at their current campus is what drove their decision to
enroll their child at that campus, while nearly 18% of parents indicated they chose the campus because of
its quality.
Distance from home and program characteristics were the two primary
reasons parents chose the pre-k their child attends.
8.9%
3.9%
11.6%
23.6%
24.7%
17.8%
7.7%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Availability of
space
Distance from
other
caregiver/relative
Distance from
where I/other
guardian works
Distance from
where we live
Programs offered Quality of the
program
Other
Percentage of parents
Distance from
works
Where we
live
Note: Based on 259 non-missing responses
Source: Supplemental questionnaire about pre-k options in the district, included in a survey of parents about literacy, 2018-19
Note
Figure 1: Primary reason for choosing a program
4
Key Findings
2
As HISD pre-k is not zoned, families who qualify for pre-k can enroll on any campus where there is space
available. In instances where more families enroll than seats are available, a campus may conduct a
lottery. Over 70% of families enrolled their child in a pre-k that was their first choice.
When asked the ways in which they learned about the pre-k options available in HISD, over half of
parents who responded noted that they received information from family and friends.
A majority of families enroll in their first-choice pre-k campus.
Parents learn about HISD pre-k through family and friends.
3
53.0%
4.5%
6.3%
4.2%
25.0%
9.7%
4.5%
6.0%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Family/Friends Community
organization
Mail from the
school
Mail from HISD Previous child
attended this
school
Research/Internet Previous
experience with
HISD schools
Other
Percent of parents
Figure 2: How parents learned about pre-k options
Note: Does not sum to 100% because parents were asked to select all ways in which they learned about pre-k options available in HISD.
(Appendix Table 3); based on 268 non-missing responses, 25 parents did not select any of the options provided
Source: Supplemental questionnaire about pre-k options in the district, included in a survey of parents about literacy, 2018-19
Note
5
Key Findings
4
1.79
1.92
2.21
2.58
2.60
2.61
2.61
2.81
2.95
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3
Dental screening services
Health screening services
Programs available in other languages (not English)
Programs available in English
Low student-to-teacher ratio
Small class size
Length of day (full-time/part-day)
Highly trained teachers' aides
Highly trained teachers
Mean
When presented a list of characteristics typically associated with high-quality public pre-k and asked to
rate how important they felt each characteristic was on a scale from “not important at all” (zero) to “very
important” (three), parents varied with respect to their feelings about the importance of each
characteristic.
On average, parents rated having highly trained teachers and aides at 2.95 and 2.81, respectively, on a
scale of zero to three (Figure 3).
These characteristics were also most commonly selected as “very
important,” while dental and health service offerings were least commonly rated as “very important.”
Parents believe highly trained pre-k staff are important.
Note: Based on over 250 responses (missingness varied across characteristics, see Appendix Table 3), response scale 0 (“Not
important at all”)- 3(“Very important”).
Source: Supplemental questionnaire about pre-k options in the district, included in a survey of parents about literacy, 2018-19
Note
Figure 3: Pre-k staff are important to parents
6
Key Findings
Parent beliefs about pre-k characteristics vary based on survey language
In particular, parents who took the survey in Spanish rated the importance of health screening services
and dental screening services higher as part of a pre-k program than parents who took it in English.
Conversely, parents who took the survey in English placed greater emphasis on the importance of
programs available in English and highly trained teachers.
School characteristics are also associated with perceived importance
Parents of children on campuses with a higher proportion (than district average) of EL students or higher
proportion (than district average) of economically disadvantaged students were more likely to report
health screening services and dental screening services were “very important.” Parents of students on
campuses with a lower proportion (than district average) of EL students found the availability of
programs in English very important.
Parents of students on campuses with a high proportion of economically disadvantaged students were
more likely to rate program availability in English and highly trained teacher aides as very important.
Parent beliefs about importance of pre-k characteristics vary by language
and school characteristics.
5
2.98
2.84
2.66
2.41
2.63
2.40
1.83
2.21
1.68
2.16
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
Level of importance
Highly trained teachers
Low student-to-teacher ratio
Availability of programs in English
Health screening services
Dental screening services
Figure 4: Importance of pre-k program characteristics to parents, by language
English Spanish
Questionnaire language
7
Conclusion and Recommendations
Study Limitations
One limitation in this study to note is sample size. This analysis includes about 300 parents, which
represents a small proportion of parents of pre-k students. However, these parents do represent a wide
spectrum of campuses with pre-k programs in HISD (parents responses were from 107 of the 165
campuses with pre-k programs). In addition, one of the main study findings – family sensitivity to distance
– is reflected in previous research in this series that includes the full population of pre-k and kindergarten
students in HISD.
Conclusion
Study findings align with previous HERC research that found the distance families live from a HISD pre-k
program appears to be associated with their likelihood of enrolling their child in pre-k.
In considering which program characteristics are important to parents, it may not be surprising that
families who speak Spanish or with children who attend pre-k on campuses with a high proportion of EL
students are less concerned with having English programs available than English-speaking parents. The
findings further show health and dental offerings appear to be more important for families who took the
survey in Spanish. Together, these findings may reflect the wraparound service needs of children of non-
English proficient parents in HISD.
Overall, the information provided in this report may provide a starting point for HISD to consider
additional strategies for communicating with families of potential pre-k students, the type of information
to share (including information about the characteristics of various pre-k campuses), and the importance
of being intentional in the physical placement of pre-k programs.
Recommendations
Based on the findings discussed above, HISD may consider the following recommendations:
Consider ways to do additional community outreach related to pre-k. As many parents are learning about
HISD pre-k programs through informal networks of family and friends, the district should consider
additional ways to share information about the availability of programs. As only a small proportion of
parents learned about pre-k from a communication received directly from the school or district, or
through a community organization, this may provide an opportunity to increase parental understanding
about pre-k options available for their children. Given that a number of families qualify for pre-k because
their children are ELs, it is especially important that this information be made available in languages other
than English.
Ensure communication between Early Childhood and Wraparound departments. As Spanish-speaking
parents expressed the importance of access to health and dental services, the district should consider
whether they can offer these services and share information with families about their availability. If the
district does not offer these services, the should ensure Wraparound Specialists are communicating with
pre-k teachers, programs, and the ECE department to understand the needs of young students and help
families access needed supports.
Offer pre-k in places where families with young children reside. As distance from home is a particularly
important for families in deciding where to enroll their children in pre-k, HISD may consider whether
there are spaces in the district where programs may need to be added to provide additional opportunities
for student enrollment.
8
Conclusion and Recommendations
Ensure high quality pre-k across campuses. While distance is important to parents in ultimately selecting
where to enroll their children in pre-k, a number of parents also expressed that the type of program
offerings and quality of programs are important drivers of their decision. To ensure all families have
access to high-quality pre-k, HISD should consider ways to evaluate the quality of current pre-k and work
to improve quality when challenges are identified. As the district is currently evaluating programs using
guidelines from state policies (such as Rider 78), they should consider making the program evaluations
available to the community. It is important that families do not have to choose between distance, quality,
and program offerings when selecting pre-k for their children.
9
References
Baumgartner, E. (2017). The benefits of HISD pre-kindergarten: The relationship between years of
exposure and school readiness.
Booth, A. and A.C. Crouter (2007). Disparities in School Readiness: How Families Contribute to Transitions
into School. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Burger, K. (2010). How does early childhood care and education affect cognitive development? An
international review of the effects of early interventions for children from different social backgrounds.
Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 25(2), 140-165.
Burgess, S., Greaves, E., Vignoles, A., & Wilson, D. (2015). What parents want: School preferences and
school choice. The Economic Journal, 125(587), 1262-1289.
Hastings, J. S., Van Weelden, R., & Weinstein, J. (2007). Preferences, information, and parental choice
behavior in public school choice (No. w12995). National Bureau of Economic Research.
Heckman, J. J. (2011). The economics of inequality: The value of early childhood education. American
Educator, 35(1), 31.
Heckman, J. J., Moon, S. H., Pinto, R., Savelyev, P. A., & Yavitz, A. (2010). The rate of return to the
HighScope Perry Preschool Program. Journal of Public Economics, 94(1), 114-128.
Meyers, M. K., & Jordan, L. P. (2006). Choice and accommodation in parental child care decisions.
Community Development, 37(2), 53-70.
Olson Beal, H. K., & Hendry, P. M. (2012). The ironies of school choice: Empowering parents and
reconceptualizing public education. American Journal of Education, 118(4), 521-550.
Reynolds, A. J., Temple, J. A., Robertson, D. L., & Mann, E. A. (2001). Long-term effects of an early
childhood intervention on educational achievement and juvenile arrest: A 15-year follow-up of low-
income children in public schools. Journal of the American Medical Association, 285(18), 2339-2346.
Skibbe, L. E., Connor, C. M., Morrison, F. J., & Jewkes, A. M. (2011). Schooling effects on preschoolers’
self-regulation, early literacy, and language growth. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 26(1), 42-49.
Weekes-Bernard, D. (2007). School choice and ethnic segregation: Educational decision-making among
Black and minority ethnic parents; a Runnymeade Report. Runnymede Trust.
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Appendix
N
%
Availability of space
23
8.9%
Distance from other caregiver/relative
10
3.9%
Distance from where I/other guardian works
30
11.6%
Distance from where we live
61
23.6%
Near public transportation
5
1.9%
Programs offered
64
24.7%
Quality of the program
46
17.8%
Other
20
7.7%
Missing (out of 293)
34
Source: Supplemental questionnaire about pre-k options in the district, included in a survey of parents about literacy practices,
2018-19
Table 1. What is the primary reason you ultimately chose the pre-k your child attends?
11
Appendix
N
%
Significantly differs from:
(A) Family/Friends
142
53.0%
B, C, D, E, F, G
(B) An organization in my community
12
4.5%
A, E, F
(C) Mail I received from the school
17
6.3%
A, E
(D) Mail I received from HISD
11
4.1%
A, E, D
(E) Had a previous child who attended this school
67
25.0%
A, B, C, D, F, G
(F) Research/Internet
26
9.7%
A, B, D, E, G
(G) Previous experience with HISD schools
12
4.5%
A, E, F
(H) Other
16
6.0%
Missing for all options (out of 293)
25
Note: Percentages in Column 3 are based on the number of valid responses to the question (268 parents responded out of 293
possible)
Source: Supplemental questionnaire about pre-k options in the district, included in a survey of parents about literacy practices,
2018-19
Mean
Significantly differs from:
Missing
(out of
293)
(A) Small class size
2.61
D, E, F, G, H
34
(B) Low student-to-teacher ratio
2.60
D, E, F, G, H
35
(C) Programs available in English
2.58
D, E, F, G, H
34
(D) Programs available in other languages (not English)
2.21
A, B, C, E, F, G, H, I
35
(E) Health screening services
1.92
A, B, C, D, F, G, H, I
34
(F) Dental screening services
1.79
A, B, C, D, E, G, H, I
35
(G) Highly trained teachers
2.95
A, B, C, D, E, F, H, I
32
(H) Highly trained teachers' aides
2.81
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, I
35
(I) Length of day (full-time/part-day)
2.61
D, E, F, G, H
34
Notes: Response options were: not important at all (=0); slightly important (=1); fairly important (=2); and very important (=3)
Source: Supplemental questionnaire about pre-k options in the district, included in a survey of parents about literacy practices,
2018-19
Table 2. How did you learn about pre-k options available in HISD?
Table 3. Parents’ perceptions of importance of characteristics of a pre-k program
12
About HERC. Focusing on the most pressing challenges facing the region, the Houston
Education Research Consortium (HERC) is a research-practice partnership between Rice
University and 11 Houston-area school districts. HERC research is developed directly
alongside district leaders with findings shared with decision makers – culminating in
long-term, equity-minded solutions, opportunities and growth for Houston and beyond.
Houston Education Research Consortium
A program of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research
MS-258 Rice University | Houston, Texas 77005
713-348-2532 | [email protected]
Find us online: herc.rice.edu
Cover photo courtesy of Aaron Burden on Unsplash