Coaching for School Readiness

Overseen By Jaime Peterson, MD, MPH

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Oregon Health and Science University

Disqualifiers: Child too ill, parents unable, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 2

300 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

The goal of this clinical trial is to examine how a clinic-based school readiness coaching session conducted by a community health worker for parents of 3-5-year-olds affects children's School Readiness (SR) skills and parents early SR knowledge and behaviors. The main questions it aims to answer are: What impact does the clinic-based coaching session have on preschool-aged children's school readiness skills and their parents' confidence in supporting and practicing early math and literacy behaviors at home? Participants will receive a 1-hr coaching session at their pediatric clinic and return after three months for a follow-up session. Researchers will compare pre-and-post child and parent SR outcomes between these two sessions.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment School Readiness Coaching Intervention?

Research shows that coaching can improve teachers' classroom interactions, which in turn enhances students' early literacy and working memory skills, contributing to better school readiness. This suggests that coaching interventions can be effective in preparing children for school by improving the quality of teacher-student interactions. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

How is the School Readiness Coaching Intervention different from other treatments for school readiness?

The School Readiness Coaching Intervention is unique because it is delivered in pediatric clinics, leveraging the trusted relationship between families and healthcare providers to support early learning, especially for low-income and minority children. This approach focuses on creating equitable early learning environments and involves collaboration between pediatricians and community stakeholders, which is not commonly seen in other school readiness programs. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Research Team

Jaime Peterson, MD, MPH

Principal Investigator

Oregon Health and Science University

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for parents of children aged 3-5 years who are interested in enhancing their child's school readiness skills. The coaching aims to boost the parent's knowledge and ability to support early math and literacy at home. Participants will engage in a clinic-based session with follow-up.

Inclusion Criteria

Child is eligible for Medicaid services

My child and I can communicate in either English or Spanish.

Receives primary care at one of 2 clinic sites

Exclusion Criteria

My child is too sick to take part in this study.

I cannot complete the study tasks required.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Coaching Session

Participants receive a 1-hour individualized parent-child School Readiness Coaching Session conducted with a Community Health Worker

1 hour

1 visit (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants return for a follow-up session to assess changes in school readiness skills and parent confidence

3 months

1 visit (in-person)

Long-term Monitoring

Monitoring of well-child check rates at the pediatric clinic

Year one and year two

Treatment Details

Interventions

• School Readiness Coaching Intervention

Trial Overview The intervention being tested is a one-hour school readiness coaching session provided by community health workers at pediatric clinics, with a focus on improving preschool-aged children’s learning skills and parental involvement.

Participant Groups

Group I: School Readiness Coaching Intervention Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Two 1-hr individualized parent-child School Readiness Coaching Sessions conducted with Community Health Worker to assess child and parent school readiness skills and behaviors and provide parents with modeling, tools, and resources to support parent early math and literacy skills for home practice and connect them to preschool and community resources.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Oregon Health and Science University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,024

Recruited

7,420,000+

Findings from Research

The First Step to Success (FSS) intervention effectively reduces problem behaviors in young children at risk for school failure, as shown in a study involving three students and their teachers.

Performance feedback from FSS coaches significantly improved teachers' implementation fidelity of the intervention, which in turn was linked to reductions in student problem behaviors.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A preliminary analysis of the effects of coaching feedback on teacher implementation fidelity of first step to success. Rodriguez, BJ., Loman, SL., Horner, RH.[2021]

The study involved 152 children aged around 4 years and compared two intervention programs over 20 weeks, finding that the Phonology with Reading (P + R) program improved literacy and phonological skills, while the Oral Language (OL) program enhanced vocabulary and grammatical skills.

Both programs were effective and delivered by trained teaching assistants, but over 50% of the children still required additional literacy support after the intervention, highlighting the need for ongoing assistance for at-risk students.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Improving early language and literacy skills: differential effects of an oral language versus a phonology with reading intervention. Bowyer-Crane, C., Snowling, MJ., Duff, FJ., et al.[2022]

This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to evaluate the causal impact of responsive parenting interventions on children's academic readiness, focusing on skills like problem-solving, language proficiency, and executive functioning, using data from randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

The study will assess various moderators that may influence the effectiveness of these interventions, providing insights that could inform policies and practices to enhance early childhood development and address social disparities before children enter school.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The causal influence of responsive parenting behaviour on academic readiness: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Prime, H., Andrews, K., Gonzalez, A., et al.[2021]

The study involved 1,570 pre-K students and 393 teachers, showing that increased coaching cycles for teachers led to better instructional interactions in the classroom.

These improved interactions were linked to significant gains in students' early literacy and working memory skills, supporting the effectiveness of coaching in enhancing school readiness.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Coaching Teachers to Improve Students' School Readiness Skills: Indirect Effects of Teacher-Student Interaction. Pianta, RC., Lipscomb, D., Ruzek, E.[2022]

School-based coaching has been shown to effectively enhance the knowledge and skills of school personnel, leading to improved student achievement and behavior, as highlighted by four large-scale studies.

Key components of coaching, such as feedback and practice, play a crucial role in mediating classroom practices and teacher-student interactions that contribute to better learning outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Advancing the science of coaching in education: An introduction to the special issue. Reddy, LA.[2023]

The report highlights the significant disparities in school readiness among children in the U.S., particularly affecting low-income families, which can lead to long-term negative outcomes.

It emphasizes the importance of collaborative efforts between pediatricians and community stakeholders to create and implement effective clinic-based interventions aimed at improving early learning and school readiness for these children.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Kinder Ready Clinics: A Collaborative Model for Creating Equitable and Engaged Early Learning Environments for Low-income Families. Bruce, JS., De La Cruz, MM., Thadani, R., et al.[2022]

The Getting Ready intervention uses an ecological approach to enhance school readiness by improving the developmental contexts and relationships in children's lives, focusing on both child and family readiness.

Conjoint Behavioral Consultation (CBC) is a key component of the intervention, providing tailored support to families, which is essential for promoting effective school readiness strategies, although further research is needed to optimize its implementation.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Conjoint behavioral consultation: implementing a tiered home-school partnership model to promote school readiness. Clarke, BL., Sheridan, SM., Woods, KE.[2019]

A 10-week intervention program for 3- to 4-year-old children significantly improved gross motor skills, print-concept knowledge, and alphabet knowledge, indicating its effectiveness in enhancing foundational skills for school readiness.

The program included structured movement instruction and interactive reading, demonstrating that targeted early interventions can positively impact essential developmental skills in young children.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Evaluation of a Direct-Instruction Intervention to Improve Movement and Preliteracy Skills among Young Children: A Within-Subject Repeated-Measures Design. Bedard, C., Bremer, E., Campbell, W., et al.[2022]

A clinic-based school readiness (SR) coaching intervention was positively received by low-income Latinx parents, who appreciated the one-on-one support from a bilingual coach and believed it could benefit other parents as well.

The intervention encouraged parents to engage in new early literacy activities with their children, although many still lacked a comprehensive understanding of school readiness, indicating a need for further education and resources.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

School Readiness Coaching in the Pediatric Clinic: Latinx Parent Perspectives. Peterson, JW., Almanzar, N., Chamberlain, LJ., et al.[2021]

School readiness should be viewed as a shared responsibility among children, schools, families, and communities, emphasizing that schools must be prepared to support all levels of readiness rather than excluding children based on their initial capabilities.

Early identification and support for children's developmental needs can significantly improve their readiness for kindergarten, highlighting the important role pediatricians play in advocating for and promoting early childhood development from birth.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

School readiness. High, PC.[2022]

References

1. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A preliminary analysis of the effects of coaching feedback on teacher implementation fidelity of first step to success. [2021]

2. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Improving early language and literacy skills: differential effects of an oral language versus a phonology with reading intervention. [2022]

3. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The causal influence of responsive parenting behaviour on academic readiness: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. [2021]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Coaching Teachers to Improve Students' School Readiness Skills: Indirect Effects of Teacher-Student Interaction. [2022]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Advancing the science of coaching in education: An introduction to the special issue. [2023]

6. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Kinder Ready Clinics: A Collaborative Model for Creating Equitable and Engaged Early Learning Environments for Low-income Families. [2022]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Conjoint behavioral consultation: implementing a tiered home-school partnership model to promote school readiness. [2019]

8. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Evaluation of a Direct-Instruction Intervention to Improve Movement and Preliteracy Skills among Young Children: A Within-Subject Repeated-Measures Design. [2022]

9. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

School Readiness Coaching in the Pediatric Clinic: Latinx Parent Perspectives. [2021]

10. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

School readiness. [2022]