SRI Education researchers are conducting secondary analyses of the nationally representative Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES) to characterize dual language learners’ (DLLs) bilingual skills in preschool and associations with classroom quality, funded by a grant from the Administration for Children and Families (ACF). Analyses will include latent profile analysis (LPA) to uncover nuance in patterns of English and Spanish bilingual development among preschool DLLs. We will also use latent transition analysis to describe how DLLs shift among profiles from the fall to the spring. Finally, we will predict fall-spring transitions with an observation measure of classroom quality. This project is intended to provide actionable insights about variation in DLLs’ bilingual strengths and how quality relates to bilingual growth to help programs and Head Start policies better support the large and growing population of DLL children.

Key Staff: Elisa Garcia, Ryan Grimm, Anne Partika
Years: 2022-2024

Topics: Featured Projects Project