Strengthening Parenting, Young Children's Social-Behavioral Competence, and Kindergarten Readiness in Schools Serving Low-Income Communities

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating an evidence-based parenting program called the Chicago Parent Program (CPP) to see how it affects parenting skills, parent engagement, and school outcomes for 4-5-year-old children enrolled in public prekindergarten programs in Maryland. The study focuses on children in Title 1 schools in Baltimore City and Cecil County and aims to understand how well the program works and how it can be implemented and sustained in both urban and rural school settings. Schools are randomly assigned to either the experimental group, which receives the CPP intervention, or the control group, which continues usual school practices. The CPP consists of 12 group sessions designed to improve parenting skills and children's social-emotional and behavioral development. The program is delivered in groups of 10-15 parents either virtually or in person, with the format order balanced. The study period lasts for two years, with ongoing monitoring of program delivery and implementation quality in the experimental schools. Participants will be involved in multiple assessments at baseline, 4-5 months, end of prekindergarten, fall of kindergarten, and end of kindergarten. These include surveys and questionnaires measuring children's social-behavioral competence, parenting skills, parent engagement, school community cohesion, kindergarten readiness, chronic absence, and grade retention. Additional data on program reach, satisfaction, and cost-effectiveness will be collected. Demographic information for parents, children, and teachers will also be gathered to provide context for the outcomes.

Resilient, Engaged, and Connected Study