摘要：We explored the perspectives and experiences of low-income, predominantly African American families regarding children’s school-readiness. Our research, which involved qualitative interviews, ethnographic case studies, and “photovoice” methods, focused on families participating in the national evaluation of Early Head Start. While valuing academic skills, study parents emphasized the importance of social and emotional health in regard to both children’s and parents’ readiness to begin school. These developments are especially critical given the challenges parents perceive in local school environments. On the basis of a social ecology framework, we argue that psychological and environmental dimensions of school-readiness are public health matters and that understanding the perspectives of low-income and minority parents on such issues is a critical aspect of health communication dedicated to eliminating health disparities. I wish that a lot of these folks that were making these laws would come and take a walk. Not just take a walk, but really get in and see it. The kind of situation they’re creating. — Early Head Start parent Listening to and learning from community members is a critical aspect of public health communication dedicated to eliminating health disparities. In a study involving families of children in Pittsburgh, Pa, who participated in the national evaluation of Early Head Start (EHS), 1 we explored the perspectives and experiences of low-income, predominantly African American parents in regard to child development and school-readiness. Our focus is on social and emotional health and the health-promoting functions of the community and social environment as key pathways to early childhood learning. Starting from the premise that conceptions of school-readiness are culturally diverse, we bring the voices and perspectives of local community members to the forefront of discussions of this policy issue. Our research contributes insights about the synergistic interaction of social–emotional and environmental factors in school-readiness and early childhood learning. We discuss 3 prominent themes that emerged in parent interviews: (1) parents’ concerns regarding strengthening their children’s social capacities and ensuring their emotional health in preparation for school entry, (2) parents’ views of school environments as challenging and potentially threatening, and (3) the transition that parents themselves undergo in preparation for their children’s school entry, including their own need for social and emotional support to allow them to adequately respond to their children’s new challenges. This interplay of psychological and environmental factors in terms of school-readiness can be effectively examined through social–ecological approaches developed and applied in the field of public health. 2 Building on this framework, we argue that school-readiness is a public health matter and that the perspectives of low-income and minority families are necessary to inform public health policy, practice, and research intended to eliminate health disparities related to early childhood development and learning.
