Parents' expectations from preschool administrators and the fulfillment level: A qualitative analysis

The aim of this research is to determine parents' expectations from preschool administrators and their views on the extent to which these expectations are met. It also aims to compare the opinions of parents with those of preschool administrators and to conduct an in-depth analysis of school-parent relations in preschools. This research was conducted using a qualitative research design. The study group consists of 19 preschool administrators working in independent kindergartens in the Eyyübiye, Haliliye, and Karaköprü districts under the Şanlıurfa Provincial Directorate of National Education during the 2024-2025 academic year, and 100 parents with children enrolled in these schools. The parent group comprises 100 parents in total, 30 of whom live in low socioeconomic environments, 38 in middle socioeconomic environments, and 32 in high socioeconomic environments. The administrator group comprises 19 preschool administrators working in independent kindergartens, seven in low, six in middle, and six in high socioeconomic environments. The maximum diversity sampling method, frequently preferred in qualitative research, was used to determine the study group. To ensure diversity, gender, age, educational status, number of children in the family, and socioeconomic environment variables were considered among parents who voluntarily agreed to participate in the research. Care was taken to select participants from among preschool administrators who voluntarily agreed to participate, ensuring diversity in terms of variables such as age, gender, educational status, administrative seniority, and professional seniority. Data was collected through a semi-structured interview form. The data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Codes, sub-themes, and main themes were obtained during the analysis process. The findings are presented in tables, and direct quotations are also included to reflect the participants' views. The research results indicate that parents living in low, medium, and high socioeconomic environments expect quality education, organization of the learning environment, support for child development, effective management, team building, child-centered interaction, Turkish language instruction, school-parent cooperation, and literacy instruction from preschool administrators. The research findings reveal that ensuring the child's development progresses in accordance with their characteristics, organizing the educational environment well, incorporating appropriate activities, and considering parental opinions are key to meeting parental expectations. Participants suggest that preschool administrators attend courses and seminars to improve their communication skills and maintain strong communication ties with parents. Furthermore, preschool administrators are expected to demonstrate managerial competence. Preschool administrators expect parents to prioritize school-family cooperation, value preschool education, respect the teaching profession, pay attention to their communication style, maintain communication with the school, and not delay educational allowance payments.