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New Research

Below are highlights from our most recent acquisitions of research reports and journal articles. Research Connections scans its newest acquisitions, focusing on those from key organizations and journals, to identify up to ten articles of high policy relevance to feature here. To view them, click on the titles. For information about full-text access to journal articles and other resources for which full text is not available through Research Connections, see Accessing the Full Text of a Resource.

What is the influence of neighborhoods and schools on reading achievement of African American and Hispanic Children?

Family, neighborhood, and school settings across seasons: When do socioeconomic context and racial composition matter for the reading achievement growth of young children?
Benson, James , 05/01/2010

In this study, Benson and Borman examine how reading achievement is related to season (i.e., school year or summer); racial/ethnic composition of neighborhood and school; and family and neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES). The authors used kindergarten and first grade data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K) to measure reading achievement, and neighborhood and racial/ethnic data came from the 2000 Census. Major findings from the study suggest that the school year is the main time period when the achievement gap widens, not the summer months. Specifically, students from low-SES backgrounds were at a disadvantage for reading growth when compared to middle SES peers. Conversely, other studies suggest that summer learning loss is a critical factor in the socioeconomic achievement gap. The authors also found school racial/ethnic composition was related to reading achievement growth during first grade where students attending schools with a high minority percentage were at a disadvantage. Neighborhood racial/ethnic composition was less of an influence during the school year, but it was still a significant factor in reading achievement, especially for Hispanic students in first grade. That is, children in higher percentage minority neighborhoods had lower reading growth. Benson and Borman suggest that policies aimed at equalizing educational outcomes should look at ways to replicate the advantages present in socially advantaged neighborhoods and schools.

How effective is the "Read It Again!" Curriculum on the language and literacy scores of academically at-risk children?

Language and literacy curriculum supplement for preschoolers who are academically at risk: A feasibility study
Justice, Laura M. , 04/01/2010

This study explored the potential benefits and effectiveness of a specialized language and literacy curriculum on academically at-risk preschoolers. The low-cost curriculum, titled "Read It Again!", featured 30 lessons to be used over a 15 week period and includes 15 commercial storybooks. The curriculum was implemented by 11 preschool teachers, while an additional 9 teachers were used as the control group. The results showed that children who received the "Read It Again!" curriculum showed higher language and literacy scores, with a medium to large effect size. This curriculum could be used as an effective tool by teachers who otherwise are not receiving much professional development.

What types of home visiting programs are effective?

What works for home visiting programs: Lessons from experimental evaluations of programs and interventions
Kahn, Jordan , 07/01/2010
(Publication #2010-17). Washington, DC: Child Trends.

This literature review synthesizes the findings from multiple random assignment experimental evaluations examining the impact of various intervention programs with a home visiting component. Home visiting is not a single intervention but rather an approach to service delivery and can vary by target population, goals or outcomes, level and intensity of services, the type of visitor delivering the service, and the frequency and duration of visits. Drawing on 66 random assignment studies that included a home visiting program component, the authors find: 1) For programs serving early childhood, high-intensity programs were effective for one or more child outcomes; 2) Among programs serving preschool-age children, there were no consistently effective practices, but using trained non-professionals and conducting weekly home visits produced mixed results; 3) For children aged 6 to 11 years old, providing families referrals to other services has mostly not been found to work; and 4) For programs serving adolescents, programs using trained non-professionals as visitors and programs with longer durations showed positive impacts. The authors conclude that further research is needed on program costs and costs versus benefits.

What strategies are effective in recruiting and retaining male minority youth?

Recruiting and retaining older African American and Hispanic boys in after-school programs: What we know and what we still need to learn
Kauh, Tina J. , 01/01/2010
Philadelphia: Public/Private Ventures.

The purpose of this review was to identify the strategies most commonly used by after-school programs with high rates of recruitment and retention of older African American and Hispanic boys. Additionally, recommendations for advancing the after-school field's understanding of how to effectively reach this population are included. In reviewing the literature on recruitment and retention, the author finds that while much of the research to date has relied primarily on asking staff which practices they believe to be most instrumental in recruiting and retaining older youth, there has been little empirical testing. One study that quantitatively links program practices to retention rates identifies the following strategies: having staff that were well informed about the youth; providing leadership opportunities; having regular staff meetings to discuss program issues; and housing programs in large community based organizations. While this research pertains to participation among youth more broadly, there is very little research focused on older minority boys. However, based on interviews with executive staff from 10 after-school programs with a high rate of success in recruiting and retaining older minority boys, the author concludes that the same strategies that work for adolescents more broadly largely overlap with those for targeting older minority boys. The author's recommendations for how after-school programs can increase recruitment and retention among older minority boys and further the field's understanding, include: conducting a needs assessment; demonstrating cultural competence; and documenting program practices that work. Lastly, in terms of future research, the author highlights the need for evaluations of high-participation programs, and assessment of the quality of programs and youth outcomes.

Does home enrichment mediate the relationship between maternal education, and children's reading and mathematics achievement?

How home enrichment mediates the relationship between maternal education and children's achievement in reading and math
Yaghoub-Zadeh, Zohreh , 07/01/2010

In this study, researchers examine how various aspects of home enrichment at age 4 mediates the relationship between maternal education and children's achievement in reading and math in the first grade. The research is based on a secondary analysis of 1,093 children. Data is drawn from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development longitudinal database. Specific aspects of home enrichment are examined such as learning materials, learning stimulation, parental responsiveness, modeling of social maturity, and variety in experience. Mediation models are also tested for boys and girls separately. Results indicate that all 5 aspects of home enrichment mediate the association between maternal education and reading achievement, and 4 aspects of home enrichment mediated this association for math achievement. Some aspects of home enrichment were gender specific. Implications for policy, practice, and future research are discussed.

What is the association between teacher-child relationship quality and children's externalizing behaviors?

Teacher-child relationships and children's externalizing behaviors in Head Start
Whittaker, Jessica E. Vick , 07/01/2010

A study of 100 children in 10 Head Start classrooms examined the associations between teacher-child relationship quality and children's externalizing behaviors, as well as teacher, student, and classroom characteristics. Observations and teacher questionnaires revealed that teacher-child conflict, dependency, and positive relationships significantly predicted children's externalizing behaviors, with conflict being the strongest predictor. Teacher experience and child age were also associated with the quality of teacher-child relationships.