Parents’ Selection Factors When Choosing Preschool Programs for Their Children with Disabilities

Abstract

Parents, including parents of children with disabilities, are often challenged to find preschools that meet their families' various needs and desires. Research on preschool quality is prevalent, but these studies rarely consider how parents perceive quality. This descriptive study asked what parents value most when choosing a preschool for their child with disabilities. Results showed that while parents and experts value many of the same elements, parents value additional elements as well. Many parents felt their current preschool was their only option. When parents' responses were categorized as structural, process, and familial elements of quality, no definitive preference was found. The conclusion shares implications and avenues for further research.

“There Is No Perfect School”: The Complexity of School Decision‐Making Among Lesbian and Gay Adoptive Parents

“…Research on heterosexual parents' school selection shows that parents consider a range of factors, including practical (cost, location, convenience), quality‐related (curriculum, academic reputation, class size), and, less often, value‐related factors, such as the match between parents' and schools' values (Burgess, Greaves, Vignoles, & Wilson, ; Glenn‐Applegate, Pentimonti, & Justice, ). Parents are ultimately most influenced by convenience and cost, leading them to often choose their local (public) school (Burgess et al, ; Galotti & Tinkelenberg, ).…”

“…When families or children belong to a “special group”—such as parents of children with special needs (Glenn‐Applegate et al, ) or parents of bilingual children (McClain, )—parents may consider issues of inclusiveness and representation (e.g., who attends the school; who is acknowledged in curricula) in school decision‐making. Yet despite representing minority groups for which inclusiveness considerations may loom large, only a few studies have examined sexual minority or adoptive parents' school considerations.…”

Preschool selection considerations and experiences of school mistreatment among lesbian, gay, and heterosexual adoptive parents

“…In turn, parents – especially middle-class parents – typically play an active role in selecting preschool or day-care programs for their children (Cryer, Tietze, & Wessels, 2002). Research on heterosexual parents’ school selection process has found that parents tend to consider a range of factors in choosing schools and daycares for their young children, with frequently mentioned concerns including logistical/practical factors (e.g., cost, location), school quality considerations (e.g., the school curriculum or philosophy), and, more rarely, value-related considerations (i.e., the degree to which parents’ values match the schools’ values) (Galotti & Tinkelenberg, 2009; Glenn-Applegate, Pentimonti, & Justice, 2011). Working-class parents may be more likely to emphasize practical concerns such as cost and location in their selection process than middle-class parents, in part because of differing constraints on their choices (e.g., in terms of money, transportation, and time; Smrekar & Goldring, 1999); but also because of differing views of education (e.g., middle-class parents may be more likely to view education as a “calculated decision that matches the values and attributes of the family… and child… to the best-fitting school”; Goyette, 2008, p. 117; Wells & Crain, 1997).…”

“…It is expected that, like parents of children with special needs (Glenn-Applegate et al, 2011) and parents of bilingual children (McClain, 2010), sexual-minority parents – as well as adoptive parents – may consider additional issues related to the inclusiveness of the school community. Understanding what factors sexual-minority parents consider in selecting early educational environments for their children is important, as it will provide crucial insight into the school-related concerns and values of sexual-minority parents, and can inform teaching and practice in early childhood education.…”

An Inquiry of Children’s Social Support Networks Using Eco-Maps

“…Given that Nadia is a very social child, group gross motor activities and games may be planned in the classroom to enhance her physical development. As outlined by various researchers, creating a shared understanding of both parent and teacher expectations for the care of children is an important component of quality programming for young children (Glenn-Applegate et al 2011). Overall, the eco-map can be used as an instrument in the classroom to inform practice and help the teacher individualize instruction.…”