Matthew Quirk’s research while affiliated with University of California, Santa Barbara and other places

This study examined the relative contributions of Latino/a children’s (N = 102) school readiness and early literacy skills during kindergarten in predicting first grade reading achievement. By using discriminant function analyses, the current study identified a set of areas to assess that could be used to effectively screen children during kindergarten to distinguish those that might benefit most from early and targeted literacy supports. Results suggest that receptive vocabulary, phonological awareness, and word reading were the areas in kindergarten that provided strong predictive power for understanding children’s end of first grade reading achievement. These results provide important insights into an efficient assessment framework literacy educators can utilize to effectively monitor and support the early literacy development of Latino/a students.

Researchers examined the concurrent and predictive validity of a brief (12-item) teacher-rated school readiness screener, the Kindergarten Student Entrance Profile (KSEP), using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to examine associations between (N = 78) children’s social-emotional (SE) and cognitive (COG) readiness with measures of behavioral/emotional risk and early literacy skills throughout kindergarten. Results indicated statistically significant associations between both subscales of the KSEP (SE and COG) with all outcome variables. Findings provide validity evidence in support of the KSEP as an initial gate in the universal screening process to inform educators on the readiness of incoming kindergarteners.

This study utilized latent class analysis (LCA) to identify 5 discernible profiles of Latino children's (N = 1,253) social-emotional, physical, and cognitive school readiness at the time of kindergarten entry. In addition, a growth mixture modeling (GMM) approach was used to identify 3 unique literacy achievement trajectories, across Grades 2-5, for these students. A latent transition analysis (LTA) approach was used to examine how Latino children's readiness profiles at kindergarten entry were related to longitudinal literacy achievement trajectories in Grades 2-5. Results provided evidence that Latino students enter kindergarten with discernible readiness profiles and that these profiles predicted longitudinal literacy achievement trajectories through Grade 5. Specifically, children with higher levels of readiness at kindergarten entry had greater probabilities of following favorable literacy achievement patterns than those students who were rated with lower levels of readiness. Results also provided evidence suggesting that Latino children's cognitive readiness levels were particularly predictive of longitudinal literacy achievement patterns. (PsycINFO Database Record

This study examined the dimensionality and measurement invariance of the Kindergarten Student Entrance Profile (KSEP), a brief screening tool designed for use as a universal school readiness assessment. Teachers rated the readiness of 10,031 children during the first month of kindergarten in four ethnically diverse, medium-sized school districts in central California. From the total sample, two random, independent subsamples were identified. First, S1 (n = 5,050) was utilized to conduct a CFA. Results yielded evidence supporting a two-factor structure encompassing children’s social-emotional and cognitive readiness; similar to previous studies examining the KSEP with less diverse student samples. Next, a series of confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) were conducted using S2 (n = 4,981) to replicate the structure identified in the first CFA with an independent subsample and to test the measurement invariance of the KSEP across two sets of categorical variables: (a) gender and (b) parent education levels. Results from both sets of CFAs showed adequate fit to the two-factor structure, with the KSEP exhibiting measurement invariance across both gender and parent education levels. The results of this study provide additional psychometric evidence supporting the validity of the KSEP as a universal level school readiness screener. Practical implications are also discussed.

This study examined the relations between students’ social-emotional/behavioral functioning, engagement, and basic psychological needs satisfaction among a sample of N=83 sixth grade students. A mediation model was tested to examine the role of needs satisfaction on the relations between engagement and social-emotional/behavioral functioning. Results indicated that engaged students have lower social-emotional and behavioral risk; however, this relation can be explained almost entirely by students’ underlying satisfaction of basic psychological needs. These results suggest that targeting student engagement is not sufficient when attempting to improve social-emotional/behavioral outcomes; rather, students must also feel autonomous, competent, and experience a genuine connection with their school. Therefore, it appears that school-based programs designed to improve students’ engagement in school might only have a limited impact on supporting social-emotional/behavioral functioning if basic psychological needs satisfaction is not also addressed.

This study used a mixed-methods approach to examine the effects of the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program from the student perspective, specifically focusing on factors associated with student resilience. The AVID program aims to close the achievement gap among predominantly minority and low-income students without a family history of college attendance. Qualitative focus groups were conducted to better understand student perceptions of the program and quantitative survey results were used to compare scores on measures of school support, school engagement, and resilience among AVID and non-AVID students. Both qualitative and quantitative results provided evidence suggesting that the AVID program improved school support and engagement, as well as in the development of individual resilience factors, such as self-awareness, problem-solving ability, and self-esteem. Qualitative results also highlight the importance of providing consistency for students in the learning environment. Future directions and recommendations are provided.

This study contributed to the school readiness literature by examining the factor structure and reliability of a revised version of the Kindergarten Student Entrance Profile (KSEP). Teachers rated 579 Latino/a children during the first month of kindergarten using the KSEP. Factor analysis procedures (exploratory factor analysis [EFA] and confirmatory factor analysis [CFA]) supported a two-factor solution, social-emotional (SE; α = .88), cognitive (COG; α = .81), factor loadings > .51. These results provide evidence supporting the interpretation of KSEP ratings as distinct measures of Latino/a children’s SE and COG readiness at the time of kindergarten entry. Additional implications of the findings are also discussed.

The constructs of motivation for reading and reading engagement have frequently become blurred and ambiguous in both research and discussions of practice. To address this commingling of constructs, the authors provide a concise review of the literature on motivation for reading and reading engagement and illustrate the blurring of those concepts in theoretical discussions and in measurement instruments. The authors then identify differences, clarify the constructs, and show how distinguishing reading motivation from engagement can deepen our understanding of their uniqueness and interplay. Implications for research and applications to instruction are explored.

The preschool years are a critical time to identify and treat early emotional or behavioral problems. Universal screening can be used to identify emotional and behavioral risk in preschoolers and fits well within current service delivery frameworks. This criterion-related validity study examined the use of a brief teacher-rated screener, the Behavioral and Emotional Screening System (BESS Preschool) in a sample of 65 preschool-age students from a predominately Latino/a background. Findings suggest that screening results from the BESS Preschool are highly correlated with important outcomes, including kindergarten readiness, receptive vocabulary, and social emotional development.