| Preschool education first became popular and prevalent in the United States during the 1960s when it was considered the most effective weapon in the war against poverty. Educators and researchers maintained that early childhood education could eradicate the social problems associated with poverty. Although preschool education did not achieve this ambitious goal, long-term positive effects of preschool education on children have been well documented.;In preschool programs for disadvantaged families, parents are often required to participate with their children. Parent programs have evolved from individual training sessions to total family support; however, there has been little investigation into the long-term impact on adults and families. This study examined family empowerment as one outcome of parental participation in cooperative preschool education.;The setting for the investigation was a small, private preschool serving one of the oldest, most economically deprived public housing projects in a major, southern, metropolitan city. In order for children to participate in the preschool, caregivers had to fulfill specified requirements, including regular attendance at parent meetings scheduled at least twice each month during the academic year.;The researcher spent eighteen months attending these parent meetings as a participant-observer. At the conclusion of the academic year, she conducted focus groups with the fifteen caregivers in the 1992-1993 cohort. Using home interviews, she also developed case studies of nine adults who were involved in the adult component of the program between 1989 and 1992. Conclusions about the impact of the program were drawn from this extensive base of qualitative data.;The stated goal of the caregivers' program was to promote self-sufficiency. The investigation indicated that caregivers gained cultural capital through their participation. This process constituted empowerment, which was observed to proceed through six stages. Although the stages were not rigid or invariant, they appeared to be sequential.;All of the participants moved from isolation to affiliation. Most gained confidence in their own abilities and capacities and were able to set goals leading to self-sufficiency. While in the program, caregivers began acquiring the skills they needed to accomplish their goals. This process continued after required participation with the preschool ended. Graduates of the program were able to translate cultural capital into employment and economic security, or human capital.;A number of program factors facilitated this transfer, including staff characteristics, program design, curriculum, and linkages with others on the preschool board and in the wider community. These elements are described in detail.;This study concluded that participation in the adult component of a preschool for disadvantaged children promoted empowerment and resulted in substantial benefits for caregivers and their families. |
