pre-K Programs Research Articles

Classroom skill compositions and preschoolers’ early academic and executive function outcomes

This study examined the links between classroom skill compositions and preschoolers’ early learning and development in the nationally representative Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey 2014 (FACES, n = 1,711 children/207 classrooms) and public pre-K programs in a county in Virginia (n = 1,467 children/123 classrooms). Results from a series of covariate-adjusted multilevel regression models revealed that there were small within-domain associations between classmates’ skill mean and individual children’s academic and executive function skill development in FACES, but not in the Virginia data. There were no consistent associations across skill domains nor as a function of classmates skills’ heterogeneity. In addition, we found little evidence that these associations between classroom skill compositions and individual children’s development varied by children’s initial skill levels, family income, maternal education, and home language. When taken together, these findings inform the discourse on peer influences on children’s learning in early childhood.

An analysis of the costs to provide high-quality and individualized emergent literacy support in pre-K classrooms

Emergent literacy skills are a critical base for later academic success. Since gaps in reading skills appear as early as kindergarten, pre-K programs are compelled to increase the quality of whole class literacy instruction and to provide additional personalized support as needed. Given that additional personnel are needed to do both, there is a policy tension: hiring certified specialists that follow an evidence-based approach or utilizing a more affordable option that uses unpaid volunteer instructors where quality may be mixed. In this study, we explore an alternative emergent literacy model called the Minnesota Reading Corps (MRC) Pre-K Program and analyze its associated costs. The MRC Pre-K model places stipend AmeriCorps members into existing pre-K classrooms and integrates coaching and supervisory support from certified instructors, making enhanced whole-class literacy instruction and at-risk support possible. Using the ingredients method (Levin et al., 2018), we estimate that the average incremental cost per student of the MRC Pre-K Program is approximately $1,300 per year. We find that the majority of costs are borne by the MRC program (38%), with a much smaller portion of the costs borne by schools (25%), primarily from a reallocation of school staff time. These results demonstrate the opportunity of MRC with trained AmeriCorps members to increase early literacy support at a low-cost to schools.

Governing early learning among the American states

Researchers have posited that possible explanations that contribute to the variability in Pre-K program quality and subsequent mixed results in terms of student outcomes include, among others, an uncoordinated Pre-K delivery system and misalignment between the Pre-K and K-12 sectors. This study investigates one mechanism by which states attempt to resolve challenges resulting from mixed delivery and vertical misalignment: their governance structures, as identified by Kagan’s (2015) as one mechanism in the systems-focused model for the provision of high-quality early education. By collecting and analyzing documents from all 50 states, we describe how early learning is governed across the U.S. Finding variability, we organize state governance structures into a five-category taxonomy. We then analyze the mission statement, scope, and goals of each state’s early childhood council and find only a small subset address issues related to vertical alignment. The findings take on added significance as Congress debates the American Families Plan, the Biden Administration’s initiative that would partner with states to offer free, high-quality preschool to all of the nation’s three- and four-year-olds.

Early opportunities and fourth-grade success: State pre-k funding, quality, and access on student achievement

To ensure all children can be successful in school and beyond, states have increasingly supported and expanded pre-kindergarten (pre-k) programs aimed and improving student outcomes and reducing disparities. While research has shown generally positive short-term outcomes for specific programs, state design and support for pre-k programs varies widely across the US, making cross-state comparisons difficult. As a means to better inform state policy decisions, this study assesses the relation between structural aspects of pre-k programs on fourth-grade student achievement and gaps across all 50 states. In assessing the relation of ELA achievement with state funding, standards of quality, and scope of access, we find that (1) state funding is associated with both increases in student achievement and reduced gaps, (2) the effect of funding is stronger in states that provide targeted pre-k access to low-income/at-risk students, and (3) legislated quality standards only improve overall achievement in states that provide universal access to pre-k. These results help identify how state policy structure may best be used to leverage achievement benefits for pre-k programs and reduce disparities.

Kindergarten academic and social skills and exposure to peers with pre-kindergarten experience

Pre-kindergarten (pre-k) is thought to have both direct and indirect effects on children's outcomes in early elementary school. Direct pre-k effectsconsistently include moderate to large gains in academic skills and sometimes include increases in problem behaviors that affect acquisition of skills in school. Indirect pre-k effects assume that having more pre-k attenders in classrooms motivates teachers to provide more challenging instruction and provide children with more academically skilled, but perhaps behaviorally challenged peers with whom they interact. To date, these indirect effects have not been carefully examined. This study used a district-wide cohort study of a pre-k program (n = 2572 children, 482 kindergarten classrooms) to examine whether the proportion of children in kindergarten classrooms with pre-k experience related to gains in children's academic, executive function, and social skills during kindergarten. Results indicated that schools with more pre-k attenders served more children from low-income families and children of color. The quality of instruction in classrooms with more pre-k attenders was rated as slightly higher in terms of instructional support and focus on abstract learning when school composition was not considered. Teachers reported less focus on teachers-parent coordination of home learning in classrooms with more pre-k attenders. Children with more classmates who attended pre-k, regardless of their own pre-k attendance histories, showed slightly larger gains in vocabulary and inhibitory control skills but also showed smaller increases in ability to manage frustration. When taken together, findings may indicate that peers influence young children's verbal and social skills, but do not support speculation that increasing pre-k exposure would improve reading or math skills overall or lead to more externalizing behavior problems.

"Effects of a statewide pre-kindergarten program on children's achievement and behavior through sixth grade": Correction to Durkin et al. (2022).

Reports an error in "Effects of a statewide pre-kindergarten program on children's achievement and behavior through sixth grade" by Kelley Durkin, Mark W. Lipsey, Dale C. Farran and Sarah E. Wiesen (Developmental Psychology, 2022[Mar], Vol 58[3], 470-484). In the supplemental materials for the article, there was an error in Tables S1 and S3. An incorrect reverse-coded version of the treatment condition variable was used in the logistic regression models, causing the signs of the coefficients to be reversed, although the magnitude and p values were correct. The reported coefficients and odds ratios have been updated to have the correct direction of effects. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2022-18712-001.) As state-funded pre-kindergarten (pre-K) programs expand, it is critical to investigate their short- and long-term effects. This article presents the results through sixth grade of a longitudinal randomized control study of the effects of a scaled-up, state-supported pre-K program. The analytic sample includes 2,990 children from low-income families who applied to oversubscribed pre-K program sites across the state and were randomly assigned to offers of admission or a wait list control. Data through sixth grade from state education records showed that the children randomly assigned to attend pre-K had lower state achievement test scores in third through sixth grades than control children, with the strongest negative effects in sixth grade. A negative effect was also found for disciplinary infractions, attendance, and receipt of special education services, with null effects on retention. The implications of these findings for pre-K policies and practices are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Does kindergarten instruction matter for sustaining the prekindergarten (PreK) boost? Evidence from individual- and classroom-level survey and observational data.

The sustaining environments hypothesis theorizes that the lasting effects of PreK programs are contingent on the quality of the subsequent learning environment in early elementary school. The current study tests this theory by leveraging data from students (N = 462) who did and did not enroll in the Boston Public Schools (BPS) prekindergarten (PreK) program as well as features of their kindergarten instruction measured at the child- and classroom-levels using surveys and observations. Taken together, findings revealed limited evidence for the sustaining environments hypothesis. The bulk of the results were null, indicating that in general, associations between enrollment in BPS PreK and language, literacy, and math skills through the spring of kindergarten did not vary by kindergarten instructional experiences. When examining distinct types of instructional experiences, there were some inklings that child-level observational measures of kindergarten learning experiences-particularly those capturing constrained versus unconstrained instruction-were more predictive of PreK persistence than observed global classroom quality measures or survey-based measures of advanced instruction. However, these associations were not always specific to outcomes matching the content delivered during this instruction (math vs. literacy), consistent with the possibility of either cross-domain effects or that instructional variables are proxies for more general instructional practices. Findings for future research and theory are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Pre-K teachers’ professional identity development at community-based organizations during universal Pre-K expansion in New York City

This study examines how policy directives and recommendations implemented during a massive universal Pre-Kindergarten expansion in New York City has impacted teachers’ professional identity. We adapted the critical ecologies of the early childhood profession by Dalli et al. (Early childhood grows up: Towards a critical ecology of the profession. In Early childhood grows up, Springer, Dordrecht, pp. 3–19, 2012) and utilized data from in-depth interviews with teachers at community-based organizations in Pre-K programs. Our thematic analysis of transcripts revealed three themes in relation to teachers’ professional identity: becoming a teacher who can play multiple roles to meet administration’s expectations is necessary; continuously modifying practice based on external support from the leadership and policymakers can be confusing; and having a brand new relationship with administrative bodies presents challenges. Data drawn from these themes reveal external factors that have influence over teachers’ professional identity. As there is heightened attention toward publicly funding early childhood in the U.S., and the need for a respected workforce, the implications of this work includes seeking out teachers’ voices to meet their localized needs to support healthy professional identity development while they adjust their practice in response to the policy change.

When does 1 + 1 not equal 2? The relative advantage of public school-based pre-k versus head start for low-income children's kindergarten cognitive and self-regulatory skills.

Decades of research suggest that both Head Start and public pre-kindergarten (pre-k) programs boost low-income preschoolers' kindergarten skills. What is not yet well understood is whether there are relative advantages of transitioning from Head Start after 1 year into a school-based public pre-k program for the year immediately before kindergarten for children's developing cognitive and self-regulation skills. This is an important question, because in many communities Head Start and school-based pre-k programs provide competing early education options for low-income 4-year-olds, leaving policymakers, educators, and parents wondering which pathway best promotes the mix of skills predictive of success in elementary school. Only one study-conducted prior to significant recent demographic and policy changes affecting early education and focused exclusively on cognitive outcomes-has addressed this question. We extend that work with contemporary data on 362 low-income children to assess the relative advantages for both kindergarten cognitive and self-regulatory skills of 2 years of Head Start before kindergarten versus transitioning from Head Start to school-based pre-k at age 4. The child sample was evenly split by gender and diverse in race/ethnicity (50% Hispanic/Latinx; 36% Black; 7% White). Results showed that children who transitioned after 1 year of Head Start to school-based pre-k at age 4 showed marginally higher kindergarten literacy (d = .13) and significantly greater math (d = .18) skills than children who remained in Head Start for a second year, but there were no significant differences in kindergarten self-regulatory skills. Implications for contemporary, pressing policy issues are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Effects of a statewide pre-kindergarten program on children's achievement and behavior through sixth grade.

As state-funded pre-kindergarten (pre-K) programs expand, it is critical to investigate their short- and long-term effects. This article presents the results through sixth grade of a longitudinal randomized control study of the effects of a scaled-up, state-supported pre-K program. The analytic sample includes 2,990 children from low-income families who applied to oversubscribed pre-K program sites across the state and were randomly assigned to offers of admission or a wait list control. Data through sixth grade from state education records showed that the children randomly assigned to attend pre-K had lower state achievement test scores in third through sixth grades than control children, with the strongest negative effects in sixth grade. A negative effect was also found for disciplinary infractions, attendance, and receipt of special education services, with null effects on retention. The implications of these findings for pre-K policies and practices are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

First do no harm: How teachers support or undermine children's self-regulation

Growing dissatisfaction with high-stakes uses of global early childhood classroom quality assessments has motivated efforts to identify more specific features of teacher-child interactions that support developmental growth. The current study seeks to identify specific, observable teacher behaviors that, over and above such global assessments, either promote or compromise gains in self-regulation skills across the pre-kindergarten (pre-k) year. We looked specifically at teachers’ scaffolding of peer interaction, frequency of behavior disapprovals, and reliance on punitive behavior management strategies. We also examined whether children's fall self-regulation scores moderated associations between these teacher behaviors and children's self-regulation development over the pre-k year. The sample consisted of 1020 low-income 4-year-olds enrolled in a “mixed-delivery” (various program auspices and locations) pre-k program in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Controlling for global pre-k quality, children whose teachers relied to a larger extent on disapproving and punitive behavior management strategies exhibited smaller gains in self-regulation across multiple assessment methods. Modest evidence emerged in support of moderation by initial self-regulation skills. These findings point to the feasibility of identifying practical, observable, and specific teacher behaviors that affect early development and to the need for quality improvement efforts that include an explicit focus on eliminating problematic teacher behaviors.

Different settings, different patterns of impacts: Effects of a Pre-K math intervention in a mixed-delivery system

Publicly funded Pre-K programs operate across a variety of settings, including both public schools and community-based organizations. Yet, there is limited research examining differences in the quality of children's Pre-K experiences across public schools and community-based organizations. Moreover, there is little information about whether interventions that aim to enhance program quality and child outcomes have consistent effects across Pre-K settings. The current study addresses these gaps by leveraging data from a large-scale randomized trial of a Pre-K math intervention called Making Pre-K Count (MPC; N = 69 schools and centers, N = 173 classrooms, N = 1389 Pre-K students). The study assesses variation in classroom quality across public schools and community-based organizations and estimates impacts of MPC separately within each setting. Descriptive findings revealed that public school Pre-K programs in the control group spent more time on math instruction and had higher quality math instruction than Pre-K programs implemented in community-based organizations. Results from exploratory impact analyses showed that in both public schools and community-based organizations, MPC had large positive impacts on the amount of math instruction children received. MPC improved students’ math outcomes, but not language and executive function, at the end of kindergarten within the public school sample only. In contrast, in the community-based organization sample, MPC improved students’ receptive language in Pre-K and executive functioning in kindergarten, but not children's math skills at either time point. Implications for future scaling and implementation are discussed.

Workforce Compensation Policies for Lead Teachers in State-Funded Preschool

Each state in the US has different compensation parity policies for their early childhood education programs. Currently, public preschool teachers often have similar qualifications to K-3 teachers but earn significantly lower salaries. Compensation parity policies ensure that equivalent work and qualifications are compensated with equivalent pay and benefits. Using data collected by the National Institute of Early Education Research (NIEER), I organized and analyzed policy data from all state-funded preschool programs in the U.S., with a focus on state compensation parity policies for lead preschool teachers. Ultimately, my purpose was to understand state-funded preschool compensation parity for lead teachers in order to identify areas of improvement for the workforce within early education programs. I initially hypothesized that Pre-K programs that required pay parity did not cost states more per child than Pre-K programs that did not require pay parity. Literature from NIEER and other early education research institutions has shown that quality early education programs are critical in a child’s formative years and suggests that a more satisfied workforce yields more positive outcomes for children. Parity policies in state-funded Pre-K programs are not highly correlated to spending per child or program quality. Moreover, parity policies improve workforce well-being and should still be incorporated into state-funded Pre-K. Results show that there are only six programs across four states that require full salary parity for lead preschool teachers and no states require benefit parity for lead preschool teachers in both public and private settings. No clear pattern has emerged between compensation parity policies and state preschool spending or program quality.

A Quasi-Experimental Study of the Effects of Pre-Kindergarten Education on Pediatric Asthma.

Ensuring access to pre-kindergarten (Pre-K) education remains a pressing policy issue in the United States. Prior research has shown the positive effects that Pre-K has on children’s cognitive development. However, studies on its effects on children’s health outcomes are scarce. This study aimed to investigate the effects of the Pre-K program on pediatric asthma. Children’s individual data from existing research conducted in North Carolina were linked with state Medicaid claims data from 2011–2017. There were 51,408 observations (person-month unit) of 279 children enrolled in Pre-K and 333 unenrolled children. Asthma was identified using the ICD 9/10 codes. A difference-in-differences model was adopted using a panel analysis with three time periods: before, during, and after Pre-K. The explanatory variables were interaction terms between Pre-K enrollment and (a) before vs. during period and (b) during vs. after period. The results indicated that children enrolled in Pre-K had a greater risk of asthma diagnosis during Pre-K (b = 0.0145, p = 0.058). Conversely, in the post-intervention period, the enrolled children had a lower of receiving an asthma diagnosis (b = −0.0216, p = 0.002). These findings indicate that Pre-K may increase the use of asthma-related health services in the short term and decrease the service use after participants leave the program.

How Policies and Policy Actors Shape the Pre-K Borderland: Implications for Early Childhood Educators’ Work Experiences

Background/Context: Public prekindergarten (pre-K) is increasingly common in U.S. public schools. The policy decision to house pre-K classrooms in public schools places pre-K teachers in a “borderland of practice,” where the separate worlds of the early childhood and K–12 systems collide. Borderland work has implications for pre-K teachers’ job satisfaction, professional identities, and sense of belonging. Focus of Study: The purpose of this study was to understand how pre-K borderlands come to be constituted and how features of the borderland shape the lived experiences of school-based pre-K teachers. The context for the study was Michigan’s state-funded pre-K program, Great Start Readiness Program. We drew on scholarship in border studies to conceptualize the pre-K borderland as the space around the borders separating early childhood education (ECE) and K–12 systems. We sought to understand how the pre-K borderland was shaped by policies and policy actors and the implications this had for pre-K teachers’ work experiences and well-being. Research Design: This comparative case study was conducted in two Michigan counties during the 2017–2018 school year. Data included interviews and focus groups with district officials (12), interviews with pre-K teachers (28), and interviews with principals (10) and kindergarten teachers (13). Findings: Results indicate that school districts in Michigan provided pre-K through two main implementation models: elementary school and district early learning centers (ELCs). This complicates previous literature that equates school-based pre-K with the elementary model. We found that pre-K teachers in both settings faced challenges that negatively affected their work experiences and well-being. All teachers, regardless of implementation model, struggled to build professional connections with elementary school colleagues. Many also felt unsupported by administrators who lacked an understanding of pre-K. Teachers in elementary buildings had to navigate conflicting policies and building colleagues who perceived their work as “just playing.” Pre-K teachers in district ELCs faced compensation disparities that resulted in low morale and threatened to push them out of pre-K. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that neither borderland—elementary school, district ELC—was ideal, suggesting that the solution to better supporting pre-K teachers does not lie in simply altering one aspect of their work experience. Conclusions/Recommendations: School-based pre-K has multiple meanings and multiple borderlands of practice. Across these borderlands, we note the significance of classroom location decisions, teacher compensation, administrator support, and policy (in)compatibility. We advocate for (1) intentionality around the placement of pre-K classrooms within school districts, (2) compensation parity between pre-K and elementary teachers, (3) increased attention to opportunities for collaboration and professional development, and (4) fostering elementary principals’ understanding of early childhood education so they can better support pre-K teachers.

Sex Differences In Physical Activity And Sedentary Behaviors Between Traditional And Nature-based Pre-kindergarten Program Settings

Across all age groups, boys tend to engage in more physical activity (PA) than girls. Previous research has shown that the school setting may have a stronger influence on boys PA and sedentary behavior (SB) than girls, while it has also been suggested that as early as preschool, the school a child attends acts as a strong predictor of moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA (MVPA). PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare sex differences in Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K) children’s PA and SB between a nature-based or traditional classroom setting. METHODS: 18 boys and 7 girls from one Pre-K program enrolled in this study. Data was collected using waist-worn accelerometers for 4 days (2h45min/day) across one week in the winter. Participants spent two days in a traditional classroom setting, and two days in a nature-based setting. Accelerometer data was analyzed using Butte (2014) cutpoints. Mann-Whitney U Tests were used to detect significant differences (p < 0.05) in PA and SB between boys and girls across school settings. RESULTS: Compared to a traditional setting, boys and girls averaged significantly more MVPA in a nature-based setting (Boys: 6.3 ± 6.3 minutes, p < .001; Girls: 5.8 ± 5.0 minutes, p < .001). The change in MVPA between educational settings was not significantly different between boys and girls (p = .790). In a nature-based setting boys spent significantly more time in moderate-intensity PA (MPA) than girls (Diff: 2.9 ± 1.2% of Wear Time [WT]; p = .047), averaging 20- and 17-minutes of MPA per class period, respectively. There were no significant differences in the PA or SB levels of boys and girls in the traditional classroom setting. CONCLUSIONS: Early education is a period during which children begin forming the PA habits they will follow through K-12 schooling and into adulthood. Therefore, any intervention which can promote higher levels of PA at this age should be explored. Boys and girls experienced similar benefits to PA when attending school in a nature-based compared to a traditional setting, therefore this pilot study suggests that educating children in a nature-based setting may promote greater levels of PA in both boys and girls. Due to the pilot nature of this study however, further research examining the potential factors that may explain the sex differences found in a nature-based setting is needed.

Racial Disparities in Pre-K Quality: Evidence From New York City’s Universal Pre-K Program

New York City’s universal prekindergarten (pre-K) program, which increased full-day enrollment from 19,000 to almost 70,000 children, is ambitious in both scale and implementation speed. We provide new evidence on the distribution of pre-K quality in New York City by student race/ethnicity, and investigate the extent to which observed differences are associated with the spatial distribution of higher quality providers. Relative to other jurisdictions, we find the average quality of public pre-K providers is high. However, we identify large disparities in the average quality of providers experienced by Black and White students, which is partially explained by differential proximity to higher quality providers. Taken together, current racial disparities in the quality of pre-K providers may limit the program’s ability to reduce racial achievement gaps.

Equitable Access to High-Quality Early Care and Education: Opportunities to Better Serve Young Hispanic Children and Their Families

Significant investments in public early childhood care and education (ECE) have yielded higher Hispanic enrollment in preschool-age programs, but progress has been uneven and inconsistent, especially for the youngest Hispanic children and low-income families. We review how ECE has contributed to Hispanic children’s development, offering a detailed review of Hispanic children’s participation in ECE, including evidence of effectiveness from ECE programs such as Early Head Start and Head Start, and state pre-K programs. We conclude with a discussion of why Hispanic children remain underserved by ECE and what policy changes could increase participation in these programs among Hispanics. We argue for expansion of established high-quality ECE into Hispanic-dense communities, for strategies that enroll and retain Latino children in ECE in ways that are family-centered and culturally responsive, and that ECE must adapt to better serve Hispanic families and dual language learners who require culturally appropriate pedagogy.

Effects of North Carolina's pre-kindergarten program at the end of kindergarten: Contributions of school-wide quality

The positive effects of pre-kindergarten (pre-K) programming may be enhanced in later grades for children who subsequently experience high-quality educational environments in elementary school. The current study tested this hypothesis in relation to the effects of North Carolina's NC Pre-K program on child outcomes at the end of kindergarten, including language, literacy, mathematics, and working memory. Measures of elementary school quality were examined as moderators of the NC Pre-K effects, including school-wide academic proficiency and school-wide growth in academic achievement. We found no reliable effects of NC Pre-K participation for children attending elementary schools with average levels of quality. However, the positive effects of NC Pre-K participation on language and working memory skills were evident for children attending elementary schools with higher levels of academic proficiency and academic growth, respectively. No evidence of moderation was found in relation to literacy and mathematics skills.

Predicting Students’ Mathematics Achievement Through Elementary and Middle School: The Contribution of State-Funded Prekindergarten Program Participation

Prekindergarten programs are instrumental for smooth transition to the primary grades. Although the prevalence of these programs has expanded, limited studies document the long-term outcomes associated with children’s engagement in such programs and for specific content areas such as mathematics. This study predicted the longitudinal mathematics achievement of 458 students as they progressed through elementary and middle school, accounting for their participation in Georgia’s prekindergarten (Pre-K) program at age 4. Archived academic achievement data in mathematics were extracted from one school district in the southeastern United States. A multilevel approach was employed to account for the nesting of students within schools. Liner and logistic regression analyses were used to examine the long-term relationship between prekindergarten participation and mathematics achievement. After controlling for the effects of race, sex, and poverty, results indicated that participation in Georgia’s Pre-K program positively predicted mathematics achievement through seventh grade. For fourth through seventh grades, the odds of a Georgia Pre-K participant meeting the state’s academic standards on the statewide standardized test were 1.67–2.10 times greater than the odds for a nonparticipant. Although the reported effect sizes were small, children’s participation in the Georgia Pre-K program had a long-term influence on their mathematics achievement through elementary and middle school, providing evidence of sustained benefits of a state-funded prekindergarten program. Quality learning experiences during the early years might provide skills and knowledge that serve as building blocks for later mathematics achievement.