Although there is a great deal of research on how Jewish ECE programs affiliated with Jewish institutions impact young families, there is a significant gap remaining in understanding of how independent Jewish ECE (iJECE) programs influence these same developmental and identity outcomes:​

1. What are the associations of an independent Jewish ECE (iJECE) program on family engagement within their home and Jewish community?

2. How do parents describe their sense of belonging to the Jewish community from pre- to post-enrollment in independent Jewish ECE (iJECE) programs?

3. Which specific independent Jewish ECE (iJECE) programs’ practices do families perceive as most influential on their home and community engagement?

This study follows an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design.

The first quantitative phase is a retrospective, non-experimental, correlational survey. This phase specifically addresses RQ1 by examining the measurable associations of independent Jewish Early Childhood Education (iJECE) programs on engagement within the home and the broader community, as well as RQ2, which explores shifts in parents' self-reported sense of communal belonging from pre- to post-enrollment.

To provide depth and breadth to these initial statistical findings, the study transitions into a second, qualitative phase. Utilizing a narrative inquiry design, this stage addresses RQ3 by identifying the specific program practices that families perceive as most influential in shaping their engagement patterns.

By leveraging both quantitative and qualitative data to understand correlations in these shifts, this two-tiered approach replicates the validated model used in the 2020 CASJE study, Exploring the Associations between Jewish Early Care and Education and Jewish Engagement (Halle, T. et al., 2020).