Home Literacy Interactions and School Readiness: Results from Two Propensity-Matched Quasi-Experimental Studies of the Imagination Library Book Distribution Program

Background & Purpose. Home literacy interactions facilitate the development of emergent literacy skills and prepare children for school—investments that decrease later social and academic problems. Home literacy interactions require literacy materials which the Imagination Library (IL) provides in >700 communities at a cost of more than $150,000 per community. Interestingly, the effects of IL have not been rigorously evaluated. The objective of this study was to examine whether children and families with access to IL evidenced increased (a) access to literacy materials, (b) caregiver-child reading interactions, (c) child interest in reading, (d) caregiver awareness/role in preparing children for school, and (e) school readiness.

Method. Two propensity-matched quasi-experimental studies were designed to explore the effects of IL. In Study-1, eight examiners (k=.97) used the Home Literacy Questionnaire (α=.89-.93) to collect data from 123 randomly selected families with a kindergarten child. IL families (n=57) were interviewed and then propensity scores were generated using 13 socio-demographics to identify 66 matched non-IL families who were subsequently interviewed. In Study-2, 55 teachers in 17 elementary schools provided data on N=893 (IL=190; non-IL=703) students who were matched. Study-2 evaluated school readiness outcomes—conceptualized as emergent literacy and social-emotional preparedness. Academic preparedness was assessed using the Phonetic Assessment of Literacy Screening-Kindergarten (PALS-K; α=.73-.92). Social-emotional preparedness was assessed using the School Readiness Screener (α=.89-.93).   

In Study-1, it was hypothesized that IL participants, compared to matched non-IL participants, would report increased access to books, caregiver-child reading interactions, child interest in reading, and caregiver awareness/role in preparing children for school. In Study-2, it was hypothesized that IL students, compared to matched non-IL students, would have increased PALS-K and teacher-rated school readiness scores. Data from both studies were analyzed using Stata 12. First, differences between groups were assessed using contingency tables before the effects of IL were estimated using regression models controlling for school experiences and individual differences  (e.g., multilevel models for Study-2 data). Models included propensity scores to facilitate a one-to-one analysis reducing individual differences and producing robust treatment effects.

Results. Contingency tables suggested IL and non-IL participants in both studies were similarly situated on socio-demographic variables. Results from Study-1 suggested significant differences favoring IL families on increased access to literacy materials (ES=.33), caregiver-child literacy interactions (ES=.66), and caregiver awareness/role in preparing children for school (ES=.36). Results from Study-2 suggested null program effects on emergent literacy and school readiness outcomes.

Implications. Though Study-1 suggested IL promoted important family interactions predictive of school readiness, the results are limited by sample size, imprecise fidelity monitoring, and selection bias. Study-2, however, sampled 80% of Kindergarteners in a community who averaged 47 months of access to IL. Regardless, no program effects on teacher-rated emergent literacy or social-emotional readiness were observed. Though caregiver-child reading interactions are important predictors of school readiness, results observed here suggest more intensive supports—beyond providing reading materials—are needed to adequately prepare children for school.