Integrating Formal and Informal Subsystems - A Case Study of Promise City’s Early Care and Education Model

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by dawugda

This case study investigates effective practices within a high-poverty school district’s early care and education (ECE) model, using interviews with eight parents of high-performing students and seven ECE partners. The study develops a model spanning (a) an informal ECE subsystem, (b) a formal ECE subsystem, and (c) the intersection between them. Findings emphasize the value of informal and formal learning environments and the need to actively bridge both contexts for early childhood development and family engagement.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages27

Reading Time1 h 8 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Keywords

Case study overview

Informal and formal subsystem integration

Practices and evidence base

education policy analysis archives A peer-reviewed, independent, open access, multilingual journal Arizona State University | Volume 32 Number 63 October 15 , 2024 | ISSN 1068-2341 | | --- | --- | Integrating Formal and Informal Subsystems: A Case Study of Promise City’s Early Care and Education Model1 Xingyuan Gao East China Normal University China Jianping Shen Western Michigan University United States Alton Leon Alford Independent Consultant United States Megan Russell Johnson W.K. Kellogg Foundation United States & Huilan Y. Krenn W.K. Kellogg Foundation United States Citation: Gao, X., Shen, J., Alford, A. L., Johnson, M. R., & Krenn, H. Y. (2024). Integrating formal and informal subsystems: A case study of Promise City’s early care and education model. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 32(63). [ttps://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.32.7776](ttps://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.32.7776) 1 Promise City is a pseudonym for a medium-sized city in a Midwest state in the United States. Abstract: This case study explores effective practices within a district’s early care and education model. Interviews were conducted with eight parents of high-performing students and seven district ECE partners from Promise City. The results of this case study lead to the development of a model that comprises best practices within the (a) informal ECE subsystem, (b) formal ECE subsystem, and (c) intersection of the informal and formal subsystems. The model incorporates the best practices identified by Ma et al’s. (2016) meta-analysis, as well as unique best practices found within Promise City. The findings highlight the importance of both informal and formal learning environments and actively working to bridge these environments. Keywords: early care and education; parent involvement; collective impact; tripartite system Integrando subsistemas formales e informales: Un estudio de caso del modelo deatención y educación temprana de Promise City Resumen: Este estudio de caso explora las prácticas efectivas dentro de un modelo de atencióny educación tempranas de un distrito. Se realizaron entrevistas con ocho padres de estudiantes de alto rendimiento y siete socios de ECE del distrito de Promise City. Los resultados de este estudio de caso conducen al desarrollo de un modelo que comprende las mejores prácticas dentro del (a) subsistema de ECE informal, (b) subsistema de ECE formal, y (c) la intersecciónde los subsistemas informal y formal. El modelo incorpora las mejores prácticas descubiertas en el meta-análisis de Ma et al. (2016), así como las mejores prácticas únicas encontradas en Promise City. Estos hallazgos tienen implicaciones significativas para la política, la prác tica y la investigación futura en el campo de la ECE. Palabras-clave: atención y educación tempranas; participación de los padres; impacto colectivo; sistema tripartito Integrando subsistemas formais e informais: Um estudo de caso do modelo de educaçãoe cuidados na primeira infância de Promise City Resumo: Este estudo de caso explora práticas efetivas dentro do modelo de cuidado e educaçãoinfantil de um distrito. Foram realizadas entrevistas com oito pais de alunos de alto desempenhoe sete parceiros de ECE do distrito de Promise City. Os resultados deste estudo de caso levamao desenvolvimento de um modelo que compreende as melhores práticas dentro do (a) subsistema de ECE informal, (b) subsistema de ECE formal, e (c) a interseção dos subsistemas informal e formal. O modelo incorpora as melhores práticas descobertas na meta-análise de Ma et al. (2016), bem como práticas únicas encontradas em Promise City. Esses achados têmimplicações significativas para políticas, práticas e pesquisas futuras no campo da ECE. Palavras-chave: cuidados e educação infantil; envolvimento dos pais; impacto coletivo; sistema tripartido Integrating Formal and Informal Subsystems: A Case Study of Promise City’s Early Care and Education Model This case s

FAQs

What question does the case study address?

It examines the best ECE practices across the informal subsystem, the formal system, and the intersection between both settings.

Who participated in the interviews?

The study interviewed eight parents of high-performing students and seven district ECE partners from Promise City.

What core subsystems does the proposed model include?

The model comprises practices within an informal ECE subsystem, a formal ECE subsystem, and the intersection of the informal and formal subsystems.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by dawugda