State Preschool Research Articles

Preschoolers’ Usage of Unstructured Materials as Play Materials Divergently

The present study is designed to examine preschool children's (4-5 and 6 years old) attitudes toward unstructured materials and to take their divergent ideas about these materials. Paper napkin, a plastic bottle, bottle lid, toilet paper roll, a piece of white string, a plastic spoon and a 10x10x10 cm³ sized box were used as unstructured materials. 126 children (58 female, 68 male) were selected from four state preschools. For originality scores first an originality index was prepared. Children who gave similar answers scored as 1, children who gave answers that were rarely given by other children, scored 2 and children who gave answers that were not given by others, scored 3. Children's usage of materials and answers were analyzed as originality and fluency by two blind coders. It was found from the study that, most of the children preferred to use materials in usual and ordinary ways, only few children were found to use them creatively as play materials. The results showed that most of the children cannot be able to use the unstructured materials as play materials creatively. Gender difference was found significant in the usage of plastic spoon, box and bottle. Girls tended to use napkin and bottle lid creatively and symbolically as domestic play toy, on the other hand boys had a tendency to use the box and plastic spoon creatively and symbolically. The age factor was also found significant, older children tended to use the materials more creatively than the younger ones.

Policy Improves What Beverages Are Served to Young Children in Child Care

BackgroundDuring 2008, we conducted a statewide survey on beverages served to preschool-aged children in California child care that identified a need for beverage policy. During 2011, the US Department of Agriculture began requiring that sites participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) make drinking water available throughout the day and serve only low-fat or nonfat milk to children aged 2 years and older. During 2012, the California Healthy Beverages in Childcare law additionally required that all child-care sites eliminate all beverages with added sweetener and limit 100% juice to once daily. DesignTo assess potential policy effects, we repeated the statewide survey in 2012. During 2008 and 2012, a cross-sectional sample of ∼1,400 licensed child-care sites was randomly selected after stratifying by category (ie, Head Start, state preschool, other CACFP center, non-CACFP center, CACFP home, and non-CACFP home). ResultsResponses were obtained from 429 sites in 2008 and 435 in 2012. After adjustment for child-care category, significant improvements in 2012 compared with 2008 were found; more sites served water with meals/snacks (47% vs 28%; P=0.008) and made water available indoors for children to self-serve (77% vs 69%; P=0.001), and fewer sites served whole milk usually (9% vs 22%; P=0.006) and 100% juice more than once daily (20% vs 27%; P=0.038). During 2012, 60% of sites were aware of beverage policies and 23% were judged fully compliant with the California law. ConclusionsA positive effect occurred on beverages served after enactment of state and federal policies. Efforts should continue to promote beverage policies and support their implementation.

Does state preschool crowd-out private provision? The impact of universal preschool on the childcare sector in Oklahoma and Georgia

Universal preschool policies introduced in Georgia and Oklahoma offer an opportunity to investigate the impact of government intervention on provision of childcare. Since Georgia used a voucher-like program and Oklahoma utilized its existing public schools, the two states offer a case study of how government provision compares to government subsidization alone. Using a synthetic control group difference-in-difference estimation framework, we examine the effects of universal preschool on childcare providers. In both states there is an increase in the number of formal childcare centers. With the voucher-like program in Georgia, the overall increase in care is partly driven by an increase in the supply of formal childcare in the private sector and partly driven by new publicly-provided preschools. However, there is substantial crowd-out of private consumption of preschool. In Oklahoma, where universal preschool is publicly provided, the increase in the number of childcare providers occurred only in the public sector. The expansion of publicly-provided care seems to be driven largely by movement of employees from private centers to public settings. As such, this case-study comparison suggests that government subsidization through funding was more effective at expanding preschool than government provision.

Teaching Spanish preK-16 in the US: then, now, and in the future

This article chronicles the teaching and learning of Spanish in the United States (US) preschool through college (preK-16) from the 1800s to the present day and beyond. National and local policies, initiatives, and practices are reviewed as well as program and curricular models and methodologies at each educational level: pre-kindergarten through elementary school; junior high, middle, and high school; college and university. From the 1800s until the 1980s, teaching and learning Spanish was steeped in tradition, incorporating predominantly grammar translation and reading great works of literature. Some exceptions to instruction included the Berlitz method and the audiolingual methods. An enrollment crisis in the 1970s propelled change in instructional delivery. These innovations were guided by research that then informed the creation of local, state, and national policies and initiatives. More research needs to be conducted to understand how diverse types of learners can become proficient in Spanish. In addition, investigations must focus on what constitutes best practices for teachers to use to tap all learners' highest potential. Finally, the conclusion of this article reveals conditions and challenges that will influence the future of Spanish language teaching and learning in the US.

A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON SCHOOL GROUNDS OF STATE AND PRIVATE PRESCHOOLS IN DENIZLI

This study examines psychical features, practices about usage and development and problems of state and private preschools in Denizli. Totally 26 preschools participated in this study. A survey including 43 items designed by Chancellor was answered by school principals. According to the results, both of the preschool types have natural elements in their school grounds insufficiently. The number of private preschools which have written rules of school ground is more than the state preschools. However, these rules established by the school principals in many private preschools. Moreover, state preschools collaborate with community more than private preschools, but children’s voices are not often heard in the planning process in both of the preschool types. School grounds are considered as learning environments however cognitive development is not aimed compared to other developmental areas. Results are discussed in the light of literature and recommendations are made respectively.

Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity in Hispanic Preschool Children in San Luis Obispo County, California

The purpose of the study was to determine the prevalence of overweight and obese (OW/OB) preschool children in San Luis Obispo County. Preschool children ages 3-5 years were measured for height and weight in 2006 (n = 482) and in 2009/10 combined (n = 559). The CDC BMI calculator for ages 2-20 was used to determine BMI classification. In 2006, 26.4% were OW/OB and by 2009/10, 34.8% were OW/OB. Rates were similar among boys and girls (p = 0.70) and increased significantly over time (p = 0.0070). Caucasian and Hispanic children had similar OW/OB rates in 2006, but by 2009/10 the Hispanic children were 2.7 times more likely to be obese (CI: 1.68, 4.57). Because Hispanic children were more likely to attend Head Start or California State preschools versus private preschools (78.0%, 81.0% and 7.4% respectively), it appears Head Start and California State preschools would be a likely place for interventions directed to meet the needs of Hispanic preschoolers, and may serve to reverse the trend in childhood obesity and address the disparity in weight status among Hispanic preschool aged children.

Participation in the Child and Adult Care Food Program Is Associated with More Nutritious Foods and Beverages in Child Care

Nearly two million California children regularly spend time in child care. Surprisingly little is known about the nutrition environments of these settings. The aim of this study was to compare foods and beverages served to 2- to 5-year-olds by type of child care and participation in the federally funded Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). A statewide survey of child care providers (n = 429) was administered. Licensed child care was divided into six categories: Head Start centers, state preschools, centers that participate in CACFP, non-CACFP centers, homes that participate in CACFP, and non-CACFP homes. CACFP sites in general, and Head Start centers in particular, served more fruits, vegetables, milk, and meat/meat alternatives, and fewer sweetened beverages and other sweets and snack-type items than non-CACFP sites. Reported barriers to providing nutritious foods included high food costs and lack of training. CACFP participation may be one means by which reimbursement for food can be increased and food offerings improved. Further research should investigate whether promoting CACFP participation can be used to provide healthier nutrition environments in child care and prevent obesity in young children.

Is Something Better Than Nothing? An Evaluation of Early Childhood Programs in Cambodia

This study evaluated the relative effectiveness of home-based, community-based, and state-run early childhood programs across Cambodia. A total of 880 five-year-olds (55% girls) from 6 rural provinces in Cambodia attending State Preschools, Community Preschools, Home-Based Programs, or no programs were assessed twice using the Cambodian Developmental Assessment Test. Controlling for baseline differences, children who participated in any early childhood programs performed significantly better in posttest than those of children who did not participate in any programs. Children in State Preschools scored significantly higher than those in either Community Preschools or Home-Based Programs; scores did not differ as a function of attending Community Preschools or Home-Based Programs. The results indicate that some preschool experience is better than none at all.

Belanja Pendidikan Tersedot Untuk Gaji Pegawai

Abstract: The objectives of this research are to find out real education expenditure: from district budget, direct and indirect expenditure, expenditure of personnel, investment, and operation, and annual student expenditure according to level of education. This research located in Wonosobo and Purworejo districts-Central Java Province in October-December 2011. Findings of this research are: education expenditure including salary is more than 20 % but only less than 10 % if excluded salary, education expenditure allocated higher to indirect than direct expenditure, education expenditure allocated higher to salary than investment and operation, and direct expenditure to state preschool higher than other level of education. Research recommendations are: to manage education budget efficiently and effectively, to do mapping on education personnel, to increase investment and operation expenditure, and finally to allocate education budget proportionally. Abstrak: Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui realisasi belanja pendidikan: dari belanja APBD, belanja langsung dan tidak langsung, belanja pegawai, modal, dan barang & jasa, serta belanja langsung persiswa pertahun menurut jenjang pendidikan. Penelitian ini bertempat di Kabupaten Purworejo dan Wonosobo Provinsi Jawa Tengah pada bulan Oktober-Desember 2011. Temuan penelitian ini adalah belanja pendidikan: secara keseluruhan melebihi 20 % dari belanja APBD namun jika tidak termasuk gaji di bawah 10%, lebih banyak untuk belanja tidak langsung, lebih banyak untuk belanja pegawai, belanja langsung persiswa pertahun untuk TKN lebih tinggi dari pada belanja untuk SDN, SMPN, SMAN, atau SMKN. Saran-saran yang diberikan adalah: perlunya pengelolaan anggaran pendidikan secara efisien dan efektif, perlu dilakukan penataan pendidik dan tenaga kependidikan, perlu peningkatan belanja modal dan barang & jasa, serta perlunya penganggaran pendidikan yang proporsional. Key words: education expenditure, direct and indirect expenditure, personnel expenditure, investment expenditure, and operation expenditure. ?é?á

Strengthening the Early Childhood Workforce: How Wage Incentives May Boost Training and Job Stability

Research Findings: Aiming to raise the quality of early childhood teachers and caregivers and to reduce turnover, government and professional associations are pursuing 2 intervention strategies. The 1st mandates higher credential levels, as seen with Head Start and state preschool reforms. Here we examine the efficacy of the 2nd strategy: offering wage incentives to encourage in-service training and to reduce job turnover. We followed 2,783 preschool center directors, teachers, and classroom aides who participated in California's Child-care Retention Incentive (CRI) program during a 3-year period. County-designed programs offered differing combinations of wage supplements and professional development to participants who pursued college-level training. We found a priori low levels of staff turnover among those who selected into the CRI program. This conditioned the modest program effects that we observed and revealed the segmented character of the early childhood labor force, which appears to shape selection patterns. Demographic attributes of staff and the auspice in which staff worked were significantly related to the number of college units acquired and to job stability. Specific features of local CRI programs were less influential. Staff completed more college courses when participating in programs that provided stronger career advising and professional activities in addition to their college coursework. Practice or Policy: Implications for incentive programs nationwide are discussed.

309 Weaving the Threads of Continuity of Care

The concept of burn-out, one of the biggest problems of the modern people, can almost be seen in any profession including “Teaching”. It is also a state which appears as a result of not being able to overcome the distress of the nature of the profession itself. This study was conducted to analyze the burn-out levels of preschool teachers working in private and state preschool institutions in Turkey. Maslach Burn-out Scale (MBS) was used to collect the study data. It was conducted in 29 state and 16 private preschool institutions, which were randomly chosen in Turkey. 103 preschool teachers currently working in Konya province participated in the study. 63 percent of them were working in state while 41 percent of them were working in private preschool institutions. The raw data handled was processed by SPSS for windows 15 to reveal the differences between the burn-out levels of preschool teachers working in the state and the private sectors. The result showed that there is a significant difference between Turkish preschool teachers working in the private and the state preschool institutions in Turkey regarding Emotional Exhaustion dimension of MBI.

Financing Early Childhood Education Programs: State, Federal, and Local Issues

The landscape of financing early childhood education in the U.S. is complex. Programs run the gamut from tuition-supported private centers to public programs supported by federal, state, or local funds. Different funding streams are poorly coordinated. The federal government funds several major targeted programs that are available only to specific subgroups of children. States have also tended to offer targeted programs, though in recent years several states have committed to serving all children at age 4. Types of finance models used in state preschool initiatives are examined in detail, and future opportunities to build a more cohesive system are explored.

Diverse Pathways in Early Childhood Professional Development: An Exploration of Early Educators in Public Preschools, Private Preschools, and Family Child Care Homes

Research Findings: This article presents a naturalistic investigation of the patterns of formal education, early childhood education training, and mentoring of a diverse group of urban early childhood educators participating in the Los Angeles: Exploring Children's Early Learning Settings (LA ExCELS) study. A total of 103 preschool teachers and family child care providers serving primarily low-income 3- and 4-year-old children in Los Angeles County provided data on their education, training, and beliefs about teaching. This sample worked in public center-based preschool programs including Head Start classrooms and state preschool classrooms (n = 42), private nonprofit preschools including community-based organizations and faith-based preschools (n = 42), and licensed family child care homes (n = 19). This study used a person-centered approach to explore patterns of teacher preparation, sources of support, supervision, and mentoring across these 3 types of education settings and how these patterns are associated with early childhood educators' beliefs and practices. Findings suggest a set of linkages between type of early education setting, professional development, and supervision of teaching. Public preschools have the strongest mandates for formal professional development and typically less variation in levels of monitoring, whereas family child care providers on average have less formal education and more variability in their access to and use of other forms of training and mentorship. Four distinct patterns of formal education, child development training, and ongoing mentoring or support were identified among the educators in this study. Associations between professional development experiences and teachers' beliefs and practices suggest the importance of higher levels of formal training for enhancing the quality of teacher–child interactions. Practice or Policy: Implications of the findings for changing teacher behaviors are discussed with respect to the setting context.

Early Childhood Care and Education in Cambodia

Abstract This paper analyses child care and education policy in Cambodia, a country where there is currently a strong commitment to Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE). This is done by (i) providing an overview of national statistics related to the health and development of young Cambodian children and information about their access to ECCE programs; (ii) considering government policy, administrative structures, and funding for ECCE; and (iii) discussing the different models of preschool provision (state preschools, community preschools, home-based programs and private preschools) that are available. Recent initiatives and research findings are discussed and the implications of the analysis for policy development and young children’s well-being are considered.

The Effect of Curriculum, Coaching, and Professional Development on Prekindergarten Children's Literacy Achievement

Disadvantaged children—those in poverty, minorities, or whose first language is not English—often come to kindergarten several years behind their more advantaged peers, especially in the areas of literacy and oral language development. A logical place to begin making a difference in children's literate lives is in the years before kindergarten. This study empirically assessed one community's efforts to close this gap for its youngest children. Over a 3-year period, a grassroots venture consisting of business, university and public school personnel provided teachers in 22 California state preschool classrooms with a literacy-rich curriculum, weekly support from a literacy coach and professional development on early literacy acquisition and instruction. Baseline scores collected the year prior to the implementation of this project were compared to end-of-year scores for two experimental condition cohort groups (Year 1 and Year 2 of the project). These data reveal that children exposed to the literacy curriculum and coaching model significantly outperformed the children in the baseline condition for most of the literacy outcome subtest measures. Teacher ratings on child development literacy measures also showed a majority of the experimental condition students had improved significantly by the end of the year. Furthermore, significant differences were also found when 103 children from Year 1 of the project were followed through kindergarten and compared to 665 control children on end-of-year literacy assessments. Implications for early childhood teacher preparation based on these results are discussed.

Prevalence and determining factors of traumatic injuries to primary teeth in preschool children

The objective of the study was to assess the prevalence of dental injuries and the influence of determining factors in preschool children from Belo Horizonte, Brazil. A cross-sectional survey was carried out through clinical examinations and the application of a questionnaire to the parents of 419 children aged 0 to 5 years attending preschool. The sample was stratified by region, type of institution and age. The eighteen preschools visited were chosen randomly. The prevalence of traumatic injury to primary teeth was 39.1%. Enamel fractures were the most common traumatic injury (49.7%). Boys were 1.62 times more likely to have dental injuries than girls. Children with inadequate lip coverage were 3.75 times more likely to have a traumatic dental injury than those with adequate lip coverage. Children attending state preschools had nearly two times greater chances of having dental trauma than children attending private preschools. It was concluded that the prevalence of dental injuries in preschool children is high in Belo Horizonte, Brazil and constitutes a public health problem.

Effects of a Pre-Kindergarten Mathematics Intervention: A Randomized Experiment

Research indicates that a socioeconomic status-related gap in mathematical knowledge appears early and widens during early childhood. Young children from economically disadvantaged families receive less support for mathematical development both at home and in preschool. Consequently, children from different socioeconomic backgrounds enter elementary school at different levels of readiness to learn a standards-based mathematics curriculum. One approach to closing this gap is the development and implementation of effective mathematics curricula for public preschool programs enrolling economically disadvantaged children. A randomized controlled trial was conducted in 40 Head Start and state preschool classrooms, with 278 children, to determine whether a pre-kindergarten mathematics intervention was effective. Intervention teachers received training that enabled them to implement with fidelity, and a large majority of parents regularly used math activities teachers sent home. Intervention and control groups did not differ on math assessments at pretest; however, gain scores of intervention children were significantly greater than those of control children at posttest. Thus, the intervention reduced the gap in children's early mathematical knowledge.

Commentary on “Implementing New York's Universal Pre-Kindergarten Program: An Exploratory Study of Systemic Impacts”

The Morrissey, Lekies, and Cochran (this issue) article is a welcome addition to the literature focusing on whether state-funded preschool education negatively impacts child care. Yet, although the study is a step in the right direction, it does not provide the data needed to answer the question at hand or inform state preschool and child care policy. Furthermore, while there is merit to research that begins with the premise that publicly funded preschool initiatives may contribute to instability in the child care market, the present commentary offers an alternative perspective on such an outcome. More specifically, the commentary argues that such initiatives may be the best thing that ever happened to children, their families, and those who work in the field. The commentary concludes with a recommendation for additional studies that combine concern for an adequate supply of child care with robust data and an overall focus on improving children's outcomes.

Early Childhood Development and Social Mobility

Steven Barnett and Clive Belfield examine the effects of preschool education on social mobility in the United States. They note that under current policy three- and four-year-old children from economically and educationally disadvantaged families have higher preschool attendance rates than other children. But current programs fail to enroll even half of poor three- and four-year-olds. Hispanics and children of mothers who drop out of school also participate at relatively low rates. The programs also do little to improve learning and development. The most effective programs, they explain, are intensive interventions such as the model Abecedarian and Perry Preschool programs, which feature highly qualified teachers and small group sizes. State preschool programs with the highest standards rank next, followed by Head Start and the average state program, which produce effects ranging from one-tenth to one-quarter of those of the best programs. Typical child care and family support programs rank last. Barnett and Belfield point out that preschool programs raise academic skills on average, but do not appear to have notably different effects for different groups of children, and so do not strongly enhance social mobility. In such areas as crime, welfare, and teen parenting, however, preschool seems more able to break links between parental behaviors and child outcomes. Increased investment in preschool, conclude Barnett and Belfield, could raise social mobility. Program expansions targeted to disadvantaged children would help them move up the ladder, as would a more universal set of policies from which disadvantaged children gained disproportionately. Increasing the educational effectiveness of early childhood programs would provide for greater gains in social mobility than increasing participation rates alone. The authors observe that if future expansions of preschool programs end up serving all children, not just the poorest, society as a whole would gain. Benefits would exceed costs and there would be more economic growth, but relative gains for disadvantaged children would be smaller than absolute gains because there would be some (smaller) benefits to other children.

Using Scientific Knowledge to Inform Preschool Assessment: Making the Case for “Empirical Validity”

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 crystallized the concern for accountability in education. National testing was mandated as a way to improve the “broken” educational system. Publicly funded early education programs were not spared from such testing. While the positive effects of high-quality early education on children’s later school achievement is well demonstrated, too many early care and educational settings in the United States are of minimal or poor quality. Accountability is clearly important for increasing the quality of our early childhood programs, however, it is not yet evident how best to formulate a standard of accountability that reflects the body of knowledge we have gained concerning how young children learn. In this report, we propose two major thrusts designed to bring about a more scientifically informed accountability system: reconceptualizing the ways in which we think about the validity of our test instruments, and reconceptualizing markers of development from products of learning (performance standards) to processes of learning. We introduce the term “empirical validity” to draw attention to the fact that assessments should be built on current empirical work in the various developmental domains. This report focuses on the domains of language and literacy, two areas of major concern for the Federal Head Start program and for which there is an abundance of current research. This body of knowledge provides many examples illustrating how an emphasis on process rather than product can be vital for improving the quality of education. For example, although vocabulary is centrally important and psychometrically adequate tests of early vocabulary exist, these tests do not measure essential aspects of word learning that have been identified as predictive of later language and reading success in early language learning literature. Our case study of language and literacy illustrates how today’s developmental science offers a new knowledge that can be strategically incorporated in assessments for empirically valid testing of children’s competencies. The same argument for “empirically valid” and evidence-based assessments applies to other domains of cognitive growth and to socio-emotional development. The future of preschool assessment would be well served by attention to primary research that focuses on the processes of learning. In this report, we also suggest that one possible avenue for progress in assessment would center on integrative and dynamic assessment techniques that would comprehensively capture the nature of children’s learning, minimize validity concerns related to context and culture, and evaluate how competencies in different developmental domains interact for optimal learning. To bridge the gap between science and policy, developmental scientists and test developers are urged to work together to create innovative ways to chart the developmental processes that support learning and progress toward social maturity in ways designed to ensure that research findings are continuously reflected in current assessments.