Public School pre-K Research Articles

Children's absenteeism from pre-K to kindergarten: A focus on children receiving child care subsidies

As many as 48% of children in prekindergarten (pre-K) miss a month or more of the pre-K year (i.e., 10% or more of the school year), and high levels of absenteeism are associated with adverse academic and social-emotional outcomes in pre-K and in K-12. To date, no studies have examined absenteeism specifically among children receiving child care subsidies, a population of children who may be at greater risk for high absenteeism. Moreover, few studies have explored absenteeism in diverse early care and education (ECE) programs beyond public school pre-K or Head Start programs. This study uses administrative data from Massachusetts to address these gaps by (1) documenting absenteeism rates for children receiving subsidies during the pre-K year in both family child care (FCC) and center-based care (CBC) programs and in kindergarten; and (2) testing whether pre-K absenteeism is associated with kindergarten absenteeism in the full sample and by ECE program type. Results show that children enrolled in subsidized care were absent for an average 8.4% of the school year in pre-K and 5.9% of the school year in kindergarten. Absenteeism rates were lower in pre-K but slightly higher in kindergarten among children enrolled in FCCs, compared to those enrolled in CBCs (Pre-K: 7.2 versus 8.7%; Kindergarten: 6.2 vs 5.8%, respectively). Results from multilevel regression analyses showed that the associations between pre-K and kindergarten absenteeism were positive for children enrolled in both CBC and FCC programs. By documenting the prevalence of absenteeism among a sample of children receiving child care subsidies in diverse ECE programs, this study provides implications for ECE and child care subsidy research, policy, and practice.

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.

Predictors of school mobility from public school pre-K to kindergarten

• We investigated switching schools between public school pre-k and kindergarten. • In a sample from a southern US city, 20.7% of children switched schools at this time. • Black children and those receiving free or reduced lunch were more likely to switch. • Lower school quality in public school pre-k increased the odds of switching. Public school pre-k programs are not only effective in promoting children’s school readiness but are also potentially useful for easing the transition from pre-k to kindergarten. One possible reason for this ease of transition is eliminating the need for children to change schools when starting kindergarten. However, little is known about whether children actually stay at the same school for kindergarten that they attended for pre-k and what predicts school mobility between pre-k and kindergarten. Using data from a large ( N = 18,775) and ethnically diverse (34.7% Black, 54.9% Latino, 10.3% White/other) sample of predominantly low-income children attending public school pre-k in Miami, we describe the prevalence, nature, and predictors of school mobility between the pre-k and kindergarten years. We found that 20.7% of students who attended public-school pre-k switched schools in the transition from preschool to kindergarten. Logistic regression analyses indicated that, before accounting for school quality, Black and Latino children (compared to White children) had higher odds of switching schools, as did children receiving free or reduced-price lunch. After accounting for school quality, Black children and children receiving free or reduced-price lunch no longer had higher odds of switching schools. Children attending lower-performing schools (compared to higher-performing schools) in pre-k had higher odds of switching schools. We also describe pre- and post-move school quality for different groups of children. Implications of school mobility between public school pre-k and kindergarten are discussed.

Who Switches Schools? Child-Level Predictors of School Mobility in Middle School Students

It is vital for researchers examining student outcomes of school mobility to understand and control for selection effects—the many ways that students who experience school mobility are different from those who do not switch schools. Using data from a 5-cohort sequential longitudinal study (N = 26,063, 61.2% Latinx, 31.3% Black, 6.7% White/other, and 0.7% Asian/Pacific Islander), we examined characteristics of students who did and did not engage in between-year, non-promotional, within-district moves throughout middle school (6th, 7th, and 8th Grade). Children were directly assessed for school readiness at age 4 and prospective longitudinal public school record data were collected on students through 8th grade. Approximately 19% of the sample moved to a different school at least once during middle school. Multivariate logistic regressions found that with all covariates included in the model, Black and Latinx students, those in poverty, and females were more likely to switch to a different middle school. Conversely, those who attended public school pre-K and those with better behavior at school entry were less likely to switch middle schools. Students who performed better academically back in 5th grade were less likely to switch schools. Researchers attempting to claim that school mobility has adverse effects on students’ academic performance and school completion need to understand and statistically control for these pre-existing differences between movers and non-movers before analyzing student outcomes.

Factors Associated With Gifted Identification for Ethnically Diverse Children in Poverty

We analyzed data from a large-scale ( N = 39,213), longitudinal study of urban students to assess child factors (gender, ethnicity, English language learner status, school readiness skills, type of pre-K attended, early elementary school academic performance) prospectively associated with eventual gifted identification in elementary school. Overall, 14.2% of students were identified as gifted in K-5th grade, with the majority identified by second grade. Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that White and Latino students were more likely to be identified as gifted than Black students, even controlling for poverty and early academic performance. English language learners, boys, and those who attended public school pre-K programs were more likely to be identified controlling for other factors. School readiness assessments were also useful for predicting giftedness.

How profiles of school readiness relate to grade 3 performance among low-income ethnically- and linguistically-diverse children

A person-centered approach was used to explore how preschool school readiness profiles predict Grade 3 academic performance among a large (N = 43,044) low-income, ethnically-diverse longitudinal sample of children. Study aims: (a) determine the number and type of preschoolers’ school readiness profiles, (b) determine how profile membership relates to demographic characteristics, and (c) use the profiles to predict Grade 3 academic achievement. Six profiles were found: Pre-academic strength (PAS) strong school, average home behavior; PAS-average school, low home behavior; PAS-average school, strong home behavior; Pre-academic weakness (PAW) average school, low home behavior; PAW-low school, average home behavior; and Overall poor school readiness. Demographic characteristics were associated with profile membership, and profiles were differentially related to Grade 3 outcomes, after controlling for demographic factors. Results highlight the importance of starting school with strong social skills at school (vs. home) and the potential benefits of public school pre-K boosting children’s social/emotional skills.

New benefits of public school pre-kindergarten programs: Early school stability, grade promotion, and exit from ELL services

This study explores the short-run effects of state-funded, public school-based pre-kindergarten (pre-K) programs on the early educational outcomes of students in Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Using data on all kindergarten students enrolled in the public schools in years 2006 and 2007, we examine differences in outcomes from pre-K to the early grades – promotion to first grade, school mobility, and exit from English language learner (ELL) status – for students who were enrolled in public school pre-K in the previous year as compared to students who entered the public school system at kindergarten. We find that children who participated in a public school pre-K program had higher rates of promotion to the first grade and higher rates of school stability between kindergarten and first grade. ELL children who enrolled in public school pre-K also had higher exit rates from ELL status by first grade compared to students who entered at kindergarten. Analyses explore the role of kindergarten schools and classrooms as well as school stability between pre-K and kindergarten as possible mediators.

Differential Third-Grade Outcomes Associated With Attending Publicly Funded Preschool Programs for Low-Income Latino Children.

This study examined the third-grade outcomes of 11,902 low-income Latino children who experienced public school pre-K or child care via subsidies (center-based care) at age 4 in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Regression and propensity score analyses revealed that children who experienced public school pre-K earned higher scores on standardized assessments of math and reading in third grade and had higher grade point averages than those who attended center-based care 4years earlier. The sustained associations between public school pre-K (vs. center-based care) and third-grade outcomes were mediated by children's kindergarten entry preacademic and social-behavioral skills, and among English-language learners, English proficiency. Implications for investing in early childhood programs to assist with the school readiness of young Latino children in poverty are discussed.

Variation in impacts of Tulsa pre-K on cognitive development in kindergarten: The role of instructional support.

Public prekindergarten (pre-K) programs have been a recent focus of policy and research attention, in part because of their empirically documented, positive short-term impacts on child cognitive development and school readiness. However, no studies have explored factors that might explain variation across schools in public pre-K impacts. The current study examines the Tulsa Public School pre-K program's impacts on children's letter-word identification, spelling, and applied problem-solving skills at kindergarten entry. Findings reveal substantial across-school variation in treatment impacts, associated with variation in instructional support. Results are robust to sensitivity checks and are discussed alongside implications for policy and future research. (PsycINFO Database Record

Montessori Public School Pre-K Programs and the School Readiness of Low-Income Black and Latino Children.

Within the United States, there are a variety of early education models and curricula aimed at promoting young children's pre-academic, social, and behavioral skills. This study, using data from the Miami School Readiness Project (MSRP; Winsler et al., 2008, 2012), examined the school readiness gains of low-income Latino (n = 7,045) and Black children (n = 6,700) enrolled in two different types of Title-1 public school pre-K programs: those in programs using the Montessori curricula and those in more conventional programs using the High/Scope curricula with a literacy supplement. Parents and teachers reported on children's socio-emotional and behavioral skills with the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA), while children's pre-academic skills (cognitive, motor, and language) were assessed directly with the Learning Accomplishment Profile Diagnostic (LAP-D) at the beginning and end of their four-year-old pre-K year. All children, regardless of curricula, demonstrated gains across pre-academic, socio-emotional, and behavioral skills throughout the pre-K year; however, all children did not benefit equally from Montessori programs. Latino children in Montessori programs began the year at most risk in pre-academic and behavioral skills, yet exhibited the greatest gains across these domains and ended the year scoring above national averages. Conversely, Black children exhibited healthy gains in Montessori, but demonstrated slightly greater gains when attending more conventional pre-K programs. Findings have implications for tailoring early childhood education programs for Latino and Black children from low-income communities.

Teacher beliefs and practices relating to development in preschool: importance placed on social–emotional behaviours and skills

Preschool teachers' beliefs relating to the importance of social–emotional competence and teacher practices that support children's competence were investigated through surveys and focus groups. Survey results indicated that Head Start and public school pre-K teachers placed higher importance on social–emotional behaviours and skills than on early math and language and literacy behaviours and skills and reported a variety of practices to promote prosocial skills, pretend play, and friendships. Practices that support prosocial skills ranged from setting the tone of the social environment to responding to situations that arose. Similarly, practices that support pretend play focused on setting up pretend play scenarios and helping children play in those scenarios. Finally, practices to support friendships involved practices that may set the stage for friendship development, facilitating dyadic and small group interactions, and involving parents. Results are discussed in terms of connections with previous research and developmentally appropriate practice recommendations.

Being Black, Male, and Gifted in Miami: Prevalence and Predictors of Placement in Elementary School Gifted Education Programs

Although it is well established that Black male students are underrepresented in gifted educational programs in the United States, due to a scarcity of longitudinal prospective research, little is known about the protective factors at the child, family, and school level that increase the probability of Black male students being identified as gifted during early elementary school. Using data from the Miami School Readiness Project, we followed 6,926 low-income Black males from preschool through 5th grade to describe trajectories for the 453 Black males (6.5 %) who were identified as gifted, and examined child, family, and preschool variables associated with gifted classification. Boys were most commonly identified as gifted in first and second grade, and 15 % of the identified boys did not appear to be receiving gifted courses. Hierarchical multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that being classified as gifted in early elementary school was more likely for Black males who (a) attended public school pre-K programs at age four, (b) had higher cognitive, language, fine motor, behavioral, and emergent literacy school readiness skills before entering kindergarten, (c) spoke a language other than English at home, (d) were older upon entering kindergarten, (e) received higher grades in school, and (f) scored higher on standardized tests of math and reading. Predictors of gifted identification in the kindergarten year were different and weaker compared to identification in later years. Implications for early identification and intervention for talented Black males are discussed.

Stability and sequence of center-based and family childcare: Links with low-income children's school readiness

Abstract The school readiness of a large sample (n = 2682) of ethnically and linguistically diverse, low-income children was examined as a function of whether children remained in family childcare (FCC) or center-based care (CBC) throughout their three and four-year-old preschool years, or whether they switched to the other type of childcare or to a public school pre-K program at age four. Children's pre-academic development (cognition, fine motor, and language) was assessed with the Learning Accomplishment Profile — Diagnostic (LAP-D), and teachers and parents rated children's social skills and behavior concerns with the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA) at three time points over two years. All children, regardless of childcare sequence, demonstrated some gains in school readiness. However, children receiving stable CBC over the two years made moderate gains in pre-academic skills and teacher-reported social skills. Children in stable FCC exhibited some gains in fine motor, language, and teacher reported-social skills but lost ground relative to national norms in cognitive skills. Children who switched between CBC and FCC did not show as much pre-academic growth (with those who switched to FCC gaining the least); however, children who switched from CBC to FCC did demonstrate strong teacher-reported social skills. Children who switched to public school pre-K programs at age four showed the strongest school readiness and were the only group to score above national averages in language and cognition.

Child, family, and childcare predictors of delayed school entry and kindergarten retention among linguistically and ethnically diverse children.

Concern about kindergarten retention is on the rise within the current climate of high-stakes testing and escalating kindergarten expectations. Kindergarten retention has been linked in previous research to various risk factors such as poverty, low maternal education, single parent status, minority status, English language learner (ELL) status, and male gender. However, these factors are also associated with poor school readiness and low kindergarten performance--the very reasons children are retained in the 1st place. This study teases apart unique and combined predictors of delayed entry into kindergarten and kindergarten retention with a large (n = 13,191) ethnically diverse, at-risk sample of children. Delayed kindergarten entry was rare for this sample but more likely among boys, native English speakers, those with poorer school readiness, less maternal education, and greater resources, and those who attended childcare rather than public school prekindergarten (pre-K) at age 4 years. Boys were more likely to be retained in kindergarten, but only because of their poorer school readiness. After strong effects for age 4 school readiness were controlled, only poverty, ELL status, and preschool program attendance predicted retention. ELL students were less likely to be retained than were native speakers, and those who attended public school pre-K programs were less likely to be retained, compared with those in childcare at age 4 years. After controlling for children's actual performance in kindergarten their 1st time, Caucasian children and children with lower language and social skills at age 4 years were more likely to repeat kindergarten.

Inside the pre-kindergarten door: Classroom climate and instructional time allocation in Tulsa's pre-K programs

Abstract This observational study of 106 pre-K classrooms in Tulsa, Oklahoma provides descriptive data on children's classroom experiences – classroom climate and exposure to academic instruction – and comparisons of Tulsa classrooms with a multi-state sample of pre-K and Head Start classrooms led by comparably educated teachers. We also examined teacher and classroom characteristics that were associated with variation in children's classroom experiences. Compared to other school-based pre-K and Head Start classrooms, teachers in the Tulsa classrooms received significantly higher scores for various dimensions of Instructional Support and Classroom Organization, and devoted significantly more time to academic instruction, notably Literacy and Math Activities. Within the Tulsa sample, children in Head Start classrooms received less exposure to Math instruction, but more exposure to Social Studies activities as compared to their peers in public school pre-K classrooms. Teacher and classroom characteristics were not associated with classroom climate, and only the teachers’ years of experience was associated with greater exposure to Literacy Activities. Major challenges remain in identifying classroom and teacher attributes that contribute to high-quality, educationally rich pre-K environments.

Moving to Inclusive Pre-Kindergarten Classrooms: Lessons from the Field

In this article, the authors share a framework for preparing for and implementing inclusive Pre-kindergarten classrooms based on their experiences working with an interdisciplinary study group comprised of two Pre-K teachers, one early childhood special education teacher, and two university professors, one traditional early childhood and one specializing in early childhood special education. The study group was organized to explore and then document the benefits and challenges of providing inclusive early education to young children with and without disabilities in a public school Pre-K setting. Five key issues are addressed, collaboration and role definition, program decisions, instruction, child outcomes, and necessary resources.

School readiness gains made by ethnically diverse children in poverty attending center-based childcare and public school pre-kindergarten programs

Although intensive early childhood interventions and high quality preschool programs have been shown to foster children's school readiness, little is known about the school readiness gains made by ethnically and linguistically diverse children in poverty receiving subsidies to attend center-based childcare or those in public school pre-kindergarten programs. Within the context of a large-scale, university–community applied research and evaluation project, The Miami School Readiness Project, children receiving subsidies to attend center-based childcare ( n = 1478), children attending free Title 1 public school pre-k programs ( n = 1611), and children attending fee-supported public school pre-k programs ( n = 749) were individually assessed at the beginning and end of their pre-kindergarten year in the areas of cognitive, language, and fine motor development. Parents and teachers reported on children's socio-emotional strengths and behavior concerns. Findings revealed that although children from all types of programs made considerable school readiness gains in most areas in terms of their national relative standing, children attending public school pre-k programs typically made somewhat greater gains in the areas of cognitive and language development. Results suggest that center-based childcare programs in the community may be beneficial for fostering school readiness within ethnically diverse children in poverty, and that public school pre-kindergarten programs may show even greater gains in some areas. Policy implications are discussed.