SPARK Study: Studying Pathways to Academic Resilience in Black and Latine Kids
Children's readiness for kindergarten is shaped by more than academic skills alone. Parenting practices, cultural values, and family and community resources play important roles in supporting early learning and development. The SPARK Study uses a mixed methods approach to examine how Black and Latine families support children's academic resilience and kindergarten readiness. Through 120 caregiver surveys, in-depth interviews, and child assessments distributed between Cleveland, OH and Pittsburgh, PA, the study explores how culturally grounded parenting practices, family experiences, and broader community contexts contribute to children's early academic and social-behavioral development.
This longitudinal study, SPARK, aims to identify contextual factors that support academic resilience of children from low-income backgrounds. It will include 120 parent-child dyads who will complete surveys and 40 interviews.
Research Focus:
- Kindergarten Readiness: How Black and Latine caregivers define kindergarten readiness and support children's developing academic and social-behavioral skills
- Family and Cultural Strengths: The role of culturally grounded parenting practices, family beliefs, and home learning experiences in fostering early academic resilience
- Contextual Influences: How family resources, environmental stressors, and community supports shape children's opportunities for early educational success
Study Information
Eligibility Criteria
Demographics
Latina/o/x and Black parents to children in pre-kinder
Location
Pittsburgh, PA and Cleveland, OH
Research Team
Principal Investigator
Dr. Andrea S. Medrano
University of Pittsburgh
Principal Investigator
Dr. Daphne A. Henry
University of Pittsburgh