NORTH CAROLINA PRESCHOOL TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS, SELF-EFFICACY BELIEFS AND TRAINING AS IT RELATES TO PARENT ENGAGEMENT

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine North Carolina Pre-K teachers’ perceptions of parent engagement, their self-efficacy in engaging families, and the preparation and training they received related to family-school collaboration. Quantitative data was collected through an online survey administered to NC Pre-K teachers in Eastern North Carolina affiliated with the Early Educator Support (EES) Hub. The survey included demographic questions, the Teacher-Parent Engagement and Communication Scale (TPECS), the Family Engagement Efficacy and Beliefs of Educators (FEEB-E) scale, and open-ended questions related to teachers’ experiences and support needs. All participating teachers (n = 59) were female, with a mean age of 46 years, and the majority held a Birth-to-Kindergarten licensure. Seemingly, teachers held moderately high perception for parent engagement, as indicated by an overall mean score of 3.93 on the TPECS scale, followed by the Perceptions of Parental Engagement subscale (M = 4.20). While comparatively lower scores were observed in the Parent-Teacher Communication (M = 3.69) and Contact Possibilities (M = 3.67) subscales, suggesting potential challenges related to communication and structural opportunities for engaging with families. Findings from the FEEB-E scale suggest that teachers reported high overall self-efficacy in family engagement (M = 6.13), with highest scores in the Honoring All Families subscale (M = 6.44), and slightly lower levels of efficacy were observed in Partnering with Families (M = 6.01) and Embracing Equity (M = 6.05) based off the observed means. Most teachers reported receiving coursework (75%) and practicum experiences (81%) related to parent engagement during their preparation programs, and a large majority expressed willingness to participate in additional professional development on this topic. The findings highlight the importance of strengthening teacher preparation and professional development opportunities related to family engagement, particularly in areas such as communication, partnership-building, and equity-focused practices. Implication of this study supports the need for continued focus on family-school collaboration within both pre-service teacher education programs and ongoing in-service professional learning for early childhood educators.