Family engagement in rural and urban head start families: An exploratory study

An exploratory, cross-sectional study was conducted to examine parents\u27 levels of perceived family engagement to the Head Start program from different community locations. Data collected from this study were obtained from a survey provided to Head Start families from rural and urban areas that had a child currently receiving Head Start services. Participants included 419 urban and rural parents from the Midwest. All participants were surveyed using the Parent and School Survey (PASS). There was one independent variable, community location. The independent variable had two categories: rural and urban families whose children attended Head Start. The dependent variable was parents\u27 levels of perceived family engagement to the Head Start program. Results using the PASS instrument found an overall difference in family engagement in rural and urban Head Start parents. The need for further research and implications of these findings for the Head Start program are discussed