Skip to main content

Main menu

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current
    • Ahead of print
    • Archive
    • Supplementary Material
  • Info for
    • Authors
    • Subscribers
    • Institutions
    • Advertisers
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Board
  • Connect
    • Feedback
    • Help
    • Request JHR at your library
  • Alerts
  • Free Issue
  • Special Issue
  • Other Publications
    • UWP

User menu

  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • My alerts
  • Log in
  • My Cart

Search

  • Advanced search
Journal of Human Resources
  • Other Publications
    • UWP
  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • My alerts
  • Log in
  • My Cart
Journal of Human Resources

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current
    • Ahead of print
    • Archive
    • Supplementary Material
  • Info for
    • Authors
    • Subscribers
    • Institutions
    • Advertisers
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Board
  • Connect
    • Feedback
    • Help
    • Request JHR at your library
  • Alerts
  • Free Issue
  • Special Issue
  • Follow uwp on Twitter
  • Follow JHR on Bluesky
Research ArticleArticle

One Step at a Time

The Effects of an Early Literacy Text-Messaging Program for Parents of Preschoolers

Benjamin N. York, Susanna Loeb and Christopher Doss
Journal of Human Resources, July 2019, 54 (3) 537-566; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3368/jhr.54.3.0517-8756R
Benjamin N. York
Benjamin N. York is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of ParentPowered Technologies. Susanna Loeb is the Director of the Annenberg Institute at Brown University, Professor of Education and International and Public Affairs. Christopher Doss is an Associate Policy Researcher at the RAND Corporation.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: [email protected]
Susanna Loeb
Benjamin N. York is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of ParentPowered Technologies. Susanna Loeb is the Director of the Annenberg Institute at Brown University, Professor of Education and International and Public Affairs. Christopher Doss is an Associate Policy Researcher at the RAND Corporation.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: [email protected]
Christopher Doss
Benjamin N. York is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of ParentPowered Technologies. Susanna Loeb is the Director of the Annenberg Institute at Brown University, Professor of Education and International and Public Affairs. Christopher Doss is an Associate Policy Researcher at the RAND Corporation.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: [email protected]
  • Article
  • Figures & Data
  • Supplemental
  • Info & Metrics
  • References
  • PDF
Loading

References

  1. ↵
    1. Anderson Monica
    . 2015. “Technology Device Ownership: 2015.” Washington, DC: Pew Research. http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/10/29/technology-device-ownership-2015/ (accessed December 15, 2015).
  2. ↵
    1. Avery Christopher,
    2. Kane Thomas J.
    2004. “Student Perceptions of College Opportunities. The Boston COACH Program.” In College Choices: The Economics of Where to Go, When to Go, and How to Pay for It, ed. Hoxby Caroline, 355–94. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
  3. ↵
    1. Bandura Albert,
    2. Schunk Dale H.
    1981. “Cultivating Competence, Self-Efficacy, and Intrinsic Interest through Proximal Self-Motivation.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 41(3):586.
    OpenUrlCrossRefWeb of Science
  4. ↵
    1. Benjamini Yoav,
    2. Hochberg Yosef
    . 1995. “Controlling the False Discovery Rate: A Practical and Powerful Approach to Multiple Testing.” Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series B, Methodological 57(1):289–300.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science
  5. ↵
    1. Bergman Peter
    . 2016. “Parent–Child Information Frictions and Human Capital Investment: Evidence from a Field Experiment.” Working Paper. http://www.columbia.edu/~psb2101/BergmanSubmission.pdf (accessed April 8, 2016).
  6. ↵
    1. Bettinger Eric P.,
    2. Long Bridget Terry,
    3. Oreopoulos Philip,
    4. Sanbonmatsu Lisa
    . 2012. “The Role of Application Assistance and Information in College Decisions: Results from the H&R Block FAFSA Experiment.” The Quarterly Journal of Economics 127(3):1205–42.
    OpenUrlCrossRefWeb of Science
  7. ↵
    1. Blom-Hoffman Jessica,
    2. O’Neil-Pirozzi Therese,
    3. Volpe Robert,
    4. Cutting Joanna,
    5. Bissinger Elizabeth
    . 2007. “Instructing Parents to Use Dialogic Reading Strategies with Preschool Children: Impact of a Video-Based Training Program on Caregiver Reading Behaviors and Children’s Related Verbalizations.” Journal of Applied School Psychology 23(1):117–31.
    OpenUrlCrossRef
  8. ↵
    1. Bradley Robert H.,
    2. Corwyn Robert F.,
    3. Burchinal Margaret,
    4. McAdoo Harriette Pipes,
    5. Coll Cynthia García
    . 2001a. “The Home Environments of Children in the United States Part II: Relations with Behavioral Development through Age Thirteen.” Child Development 72(6): 1868–86.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science
  9. ↵
    1. Bradley Robert H.,
    2. Corwyn Robert F.,
    3. McAdoo Harriette Pipes,
    4. Coll Cynthia García
    . 2001b. “The Home Environments of Children in the United States Part I: Variations by Age, Ethnicity, and Poverty Status.” Child Development 72(6):1844–67.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science
  10. ↵
    1. Brotman Laurie Miller,
    2. Calzada Esther,
    3. Huang Keng-Yen,
    4. Kingston Sharon,
    5. McClure Spring Dawson,
    6. Kamboukos Dimitra,
    7. Rosenfelt Amanda,
    8. Schwab Amihai,
    9. Petkova Eva
    . 2011. “Promoting Effective Parenting Practices and Preventing Child Behavior Problems in School among Ethnically Diverse Families from Underserved, Urban Communities.” Child Development 82(1):258–76.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science
  11. ↵
    1. Butterworth Brian
    . 2005. “The Development of Arithmetic Abilities.” Journal Child Psychology and Psychiatry 46(1):3–18.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science
  12. ↵
    1. California Department of Education
    . 2008. “California Preschool Learning Foundations, Volume 1.” Sacramento, CA. http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/documents/preschoollf.pdf (accessed December 15, 2015).
  13. ↵
    1. Castleman Benjamin L.,
    2. Page Lindsay C.
    2015. “Summer Nudging: Can Personalized Text Messages and Peer Mentor Outreach Increase College Going among Low-Income High School Graduates?” Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization 115:44–160.
    OpenUrl
  14. ↵
    1. Costello E. Jane,
    2. Compton Scott N.,
    3. Keeler Gordon,
    4. Angold Adrian
    . 2003. “Relationships between Poverty and Psychopathology: A Natural Experiment.” Journal of the American Medical Association 290(15):2023–29.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science
  15. ↵
    1. DellaVigna Stefano
    . 2009. “Psychology and Economics: Evidence from the Field.” Journal of Economic Literature 47(2):315–72.
    OpenUrlCrossRefWeb of Science
  16. ↵
    1. Doss Christopher,
    2. Fahle Erin M.,
    3. Loeb Susanna,
    4. York Benjamin N.
    2019. “More Than Just a Nudge: Supporting Kindergarten Parents with Differentiated and Personalized Text Messages.” Journal of Human Resources 54(3):563–99.
    OpenUrl
  17. ↵
    1. Duncan Greg J.,
    2. Ludwig Jens,
    3. Magnuson Katherine A.
    2010. “Child Development.” In Targeting Investments in Children: Fighting Poverty When Resources Are Limited, ed. Levine Phillip, Zimmerman David, 27–58. Chicago: University of Chicago.
  18. ↵
    1. Ehrlich Serena
    . 2013. “Mogreet Releases Best Practices Guide for Successfully Navigating Text Marketing Rules and Regulations.” The Wall Street Journal, February 17.
  19. ↵
    1. Golova Natalia,
    2. Alario Anthony J.,
    3. Vivier Patrick M.,
    4. Rodriguez Margarita,
    5. High Pamela C.
    1999. “Literacy Promotion for Hispanic Families in a Primary Care Setting: A Randomized, Controlled Trial.” Pediatrics 103(5):993–97.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  20. ↵
    1. Graziano Paulo A.,
    2. Reavis Rachael D.,
    3. Keane Susan P.,
    4. Calkins Susan D.
    2007. “The Role of Emotion Regulation in Children’s Early Academic Success.” Journal of School Psychology 45(1):3–19.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  21. ↵
    1. Grodsky Eric,
    2. Jones Melanie T.
    2007. “Real and Imagined Barriers to College Entry: Perceptions of Cost.” Social Science Research 36(2):745–66.
    OpenUrlCrossRefWeb of Science
  22. ↵
    1. Hart Betty,
    2. Risley Todd R.
    1995. Meaningful Differences in the Everyday Experience of Young American Children, 1st ed. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing.
  23. ↵
    1. Hastings J.S.,
    2. Weinstein J.M.
    2008. “Information, School Choice, and Academic Achievement: Evidence from Two Experiments.” Quarterly Journal of Economics 123(4): 1373–414.
    OpenUrlCrossRefWeb of Science
  24. ↵
    1. Heckman James J.
    2006. “Skill Formation and the Economics of Investing in Disadvantaged Children.” Science 312(5782):1900–1902.
    OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text
  25. ↵
    1. Invernizzi Marcia,
    2. Sullivan Amie,
    3. Meier Joanne,
    4. Swank Linda
    . 2004. “Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening (PALS) Prek Teacher’s Manual.” Richmond, VA: University of Virginia.
  26. ↵
    1. Iyengar Sheena,
    2. Lepper Mark
    . 2000. “When Choice Is Demotivating: Can One Desire Too Much of a Good Thing?” Journal of Personality & Social Psychology 79(6):995.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science
  27. ↵
    1. Jordan Gail E.,
    2. Snow Catherine E.,
    3. Porche Michelle V.
    2000. “Project EASE: The Effect of a Family Literacy Project on Kindergarten Students’ Early Literacy Skills.” Reading Research Quarterly 35(4):524–46.
    OpenUrlCrossRef
  28. ↵
    1. Karlan Dean,
    2. McConnell Margaret,
    3. Mullainathan Sendhil,
    4. Zinman Jonathan
    . 2016. “Getting to the Top of Mind: How Reminders Increase Saving.” Management Science 62(12):3393–411.
    OpenUrlCrossRef
  29. ↵
    1. Lonigan Christopher J.,
    2. Shanahan Timothy
    . 2009. “Developing Early Literacy: Report of the National Early Literacy Panel.” Washington, DC: National Institute for Literacy. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED508381 (accessed December 15, 2005).
  30. ↵
    1. Mani Anandi,
    2. Mullainathan Sendhil,
    3. Shafir Eldar,
    4. Zhao Jiaying
    . 2013. “Poverty Impedes Cognitive Function.” Science 341(6149):976–80.
    OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text
  31. ↵
    1. Manz Patricia H.,
    2. Hughes Cheyenne,
    3. Barnabas Ernesto,
    4. Bracaliello Catherine,
    5. Ginsburg-Block Marika
    . 2010. “A Descriptive Review and Meta-Analysis of Family-Based Emergent Literacy Interventions: To What Extent is the Research Applicable to Low-Income, Ethnic-Minority or Linguistically-Diverse Young Children?” Early Childhood Research Quarterly 25(4):409–31.
    OpenUrlCrossRef
  32. ↵
    1. Mayer Susan E.,
    2. Kalil Ariel,
    3. Oreopoulos Philip,
    4. Gallegos Sebastain
    . 2015. “Using Behavioral Insights to Increase Parental Engagement: The Parents and Children Together (PACT) Intervention.” NBER Working Paper 21602. Cambridge, MA: NBER. http://www.nber.org/papers/w7948 (accessed October 5, 2017).
  33. ↵
    1. Melhuish Edward C.,
    2. Phan Mai B.,
    3. Sylva Kathy,
    4. Sammons Pam,
    5. Siraj-Blatchford Iram,
    6. Taggart Brenda
    . 2008. “Effects of the Home Learning Environment and Preschool Center Experience upon Literacy and Numeracy Development in Early Primary School.” Journal of Social Issues 64(1):95–114.
    OpenUrlCrossRefWeb of Science
  34. ↵
    1. Mendelsohn Alan L.,
    2. Mogilner Leora N.,
    3. Dreyer Benard P.,
    4. Forman Joel A.,
    5. Weinstein Stacey C.,
    6. Broderick Monica,
    7. Cheng Karyn J.,
    8. Magloire Tamara,
    9. Moore Taska,
    10. Napier Camille
    . 2001. “The Impact of a Clinic-Based Literacy Intervention on Language Development in Inner-City Preschool Children.” Pediatrics 107(1):130–34.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science
  35. ↵
    1. Morris Pamela,
    2. Millenky Megan,
    3. Raver C. Cybele,
    4. Jones Stephanie M.
    2013. “Does a Preschool Social and Emotional Learning Intervention Pay Off for Classroom Instruction and Children’s Behavior and Academic Skills? Evidence from the Foundations of Learning Project.” Early Education and Development 24(7):1020–42.
    OpenUrlCrossRef
  36. ↵
    1. Mullainathan Sendhil,
    2. Thaler Richard H.
    2000. “Behavioral Economics.” NBER Working Paper w7948. Cambridge, MA: NBER. http://www.nber.org/papers/w7948 (accessed December 15, 2015).
  37. ↵
    1. Needlman Robert,
    2. Toker Karen H.,
    3. Dreyer Benard P.,
    4. Klass Perri,
    5. Mendelsohn Alan L.
    2005. “Effectiveness of a Primary Care Intervention to Support Reading Aloud: A Multicenter Evaluation.” Ambulatory Pediatrics 5(4):209–15.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science
  38. ↵
    1. NICHD Early Child Care Research Network
    . 2006. “Child-Care Effect Sizes for the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development.” The American Psychologist 61:99.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science
  39. ↵
    1. Prinz Ronald J.,
    2. Miller Gloria E.
    1994. “Family-Based Treatment for Childhood Antisocial Behavior: Experimental Influences on Dropout and Engagement.” Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 62(3):645–50.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science
  40. ↵
    1. Reese Elaine,
    2. Sparks Alison,
    3. Leyva Diana
    . 2010. “A Review of Parent Interventions for Preschool Children’s Language and Emergent Literacy.” Journal of Early Childhood Literacy 10(1):97–117.
    OpenUrlCrossRef
  41. ↵
    1. Riccio James,
    2. Dechausay Nadine,
    3. Miller Cynthia,
    4. Nuñez Stephen,
    5. Verma Nandita,
    6. Yang Edith
    . 2013. “Conditional Cash Transfers in New York City: The Continuing Story of the Opportunity NYC-Family Rewards Demonstration.” New York: MDRC. http://www.mdrc.org/publication/conditional-cash-transfers-new-york-city (accessed December 15, 2015).
  42. ↵
    1. Sarama Julie,
    2. Lange Alissa A.,
    3. Clements Douglas H.,
    4. Wolfe Christopher B.
    2012. “The Impacts of an Early Mathematics Curriculum on Oral Language and Literacy.” Early Childhood Research Quarterly 27(3):489–502.
    OpenUrlCrossRef
  43. ↵
    1. Shah Anuj K.,
    2. Mullainathan Sendhil,
    3. Shafir Eldar
    . 2012. “The Consequences of Having Too Little.” Science 338(6107):682–85.
    OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text
  44. ↵
    1. Sharif Iman,
    2. Rieber Sarah,
    3. Ozuah Philip O.
    2002. “Exposure to Reach Out and Read and Vocabulary Outcomes in Inner City Preschoolers.” Journal of the National Medical Association 94(3):171–77.
    OpenUrlPubMed
  45. ↵
    1. Simon Herbert A.
    1955. “A Behavioral Model of Rational Choice.” The Quarterly Journal of Economics 69(1):99–118.
    OpenUrlCrossRefWeb of Science
  46. ↵
    1. Stevenson Harold W.,
    2. Chen Chuansheng,
    3. Uttal David H.
    1990. “Beliefs and Achievement: A Study of Black, White, and Hispanic Children.” Child Development 61(2):508–23.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science
  47. ↵
    1. Thaler Richard H.,
    2. Sunstein Cass R.
    2009. Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness. 2nd ed. New Haven, CT: Yale Press.
  48. ↵
    1. Valant Jon,
    2. Loeb Susanna
    . 2014. “Information, Choice, and Decision-Making: Field Experiments with Adult and Student School Choosers.” Unpublished.
  49. ↵
    1. Whitehurst Grover J.,
    2. Epstein Jeffrey N.,
    3. Angell Andrea L.,
    4. Payne Adam C.,
    5. Crone Deanne A.,
    6. Fischel Janet E.
    1994. “Outcomes of an Emergent Literacy Intervention in Head Start.” Journal of Educational Psychology 86(4):542.
    OpenUrlCrossRefWeb of Science
  50. ↵
    1. Zickuhr Kathryn,
    2. Smith Aaron
    . 2012. “Digital Differences.” Washington, DC: Pew Research Center. http://www.pewinternet.org/2012/04/13/digital-differences/ (accessed December 15, 2015).
  51. ↵
    1. Zuckerman Barry
    . 2009. “Promoting Early Literacy in Pediatric Practice: Twenty Years of Reach Out and Read.” Pediatrics 124(6):1660–65.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science
PreviousNext
Back to top

In this issue

Journal of Human Resources: 54 (3)
Journal of Human Resources
Vol. 54, Issue 3
1 Jul 2019
  • Table of Contents
  • Table of Contents (PDF)
  • Index by author
  • Back Matter (PDF)
  • Front Matter (PDF)
Print
Download PDF
Article Alerts
Sign In to Email Alerts with your Email Address
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on Journal of Human Resources.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
One Step at a Time
(Your Name) has sent you a message from Journal of Human Resources
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the Journal of Human Resources web site.
Citation Tools
One Step at a Time
Benjamin N. York, Susanna Loeb, Christopher Doss
Journal of Human Resources Jul 2019, 54 (3) 537-566; DOI: 10.3368/jhr.54.3.0517-8756R

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Share
One Step at a Time
Benjamin N. York, Susanna Loeb, Christopher Doss
Journal of Human Resources Jul 2019, 54 (3) 537-566; DOI: 10.3368/jhr.54.3.0517-8756R
Twitter logo Facebook logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One
Bookmark this article

Jump to section

  • Article
    • Abstract
    • I. Introduction
    • II. Literature Review
    • III. Procedures
    • IV. Results
    • V. Discussion
    • Footnotes
    • References
  • Figures & Data
  • Supplemental
  • Info & Metrics
  • References
  • PDF

Related Articles

  • Google Scholar

Cited By...

  • Implementing Home-Based Educational Interventions at Scale
  • Testing
  • Reducing Parent-School Information Gaps and Improving Education Outcomes: Evidence from High-Frequency Text Messages
  • Using Behavioral Insights to Increase Parental Engagement: The Parents and Children Together Intervention
  • Google Scholar

More in this TOC Section

  • In-State College Enrollment and Later Life Location Decisions
  • The Journal of Human Resources Referees Volume 55
  • The Economic Burden of Crime
Show more Article

Similar Articles

Keywords

  • C93
  • D91
  • I21
UW Press logo

© 2025 Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System

Powered by HighWire