Strengthening Family-School Partnerships: Perspectives on Parent-Educator Communication in Pre-K Programs

Research Findings: Family-school partnerships can support young children’s school readiness, especially during transitions, yet little is known about what information families value from educators and how well educators meet these preferences. Through qualitative methods, this study explores communication topics, resource needs, and developmental domains that parents value, as well as educators’ communication practices in center-, home- and ministry-based pre-K programs. Iterative thematic analysis revealed that parents (n = 26, 50% Black, 34.6% White, 8% Hispanic; 50% with at least a Bachelor’s degree) of 4- to 5-year-olds enrolled in Indiana pre-k programs preferred regular school-specific communication and sought resources to enhance the home environment and foster community connections. While parents generally valued academic learning, they particularly desired teachers’ feedback on their children’s behavioral and social-emotional development. Educators’ (n = 28; 72% White, 14% Black, 7% Hispanic; 68% with at least a Bachelor’s degree) practices were found to largely align with parents’ communication preferences, although they tended to avoid challenging communications and less frequently emphasized supporting learning consistency between home and school. We found a few variations across program types. Practice or Policy: Findings underscore the value of family-centered communication in early childhood settings. Policies that emphasize developmentally focused communication may strengthen family-school partnerships.