Who Are Pennsylvania Kindergarteners in 2011?

• In Event: Roundtable Session 30
  In Roundtable Session: Understanding the State of Pennsylvania’s Children at Kindergarten Entry: A Stakeholder Dialogue

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide reliable and state-representative descriptive evidence on the demographic background of Pennsylvania children who entered kindergarten in 2010-11.

Perspective: The characteristics of the population determine the demand for services and programs. Understanding the demographics of the population is the first step toward any strategic planning (Halachmi, Hardy, & Rhoades, 1993). For instance, a historical analysis of national demographic trends have found the rising demand for early childhood programs as a result of the increasing proportion of young children under six living in families with two wage earners or a single parent (Hernandez, 1995). At the national level, recent demographic trends revealed the number of young children from low-income families who attend pre-kindergarten programs (e.g., preschool or daycare) in the United States is on the rise (see National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER), 2011; U.S. Department of Education (USDOE), reaching almost 6 million and representing 48 percent of all children under age three in the United States. Evidence such as these has important implications for early childhood programs.

Methods and Data Sources: In order to address the goal of Paper One, we conducted a secondary data analysis of the restricted-use Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 Pennsylvania oversample data set (ECLS-K:PA). The ECLS-K:PA Oversample dataset was drawn by Westat Inc. using the same sampling techniques as developed for the national sample. The final sample includes 1,168 student records that are associated with 202 teachers and 55 schools. The sample is representative of the state geographically. The researchers have access to the data, experiences in analyzing ECLS datasets, and NCES licenses to permit analysis. Sample weights are used to produce population (state level) estimates of the composition of incoming student body.

Preliminary Results: ECLS-K:PA includes rich data on Pennsylvania children, their families and the context of their school and child care environments. Parent/caregiver interview data was analyzed to understand children’s experiences transitioning to kindergarten and how that relates to family socio-demographics and other contextual information from ECLS-K:PA. Key variables that are analyzed include but are not limited to birth outcomes, maternal risk indicators, home language, household composition, economic indicators and health outcomes, and parental involvement in children’s education. Findings indicate the diverse needs of children entering kindergarten which vary by families’ demographic information.

Significance: The first step of strategic planning for public services is demographic analysis of the population characteristics. By providing reliable and state-representative descriptive evidence on the demographic background of Pennsylvania children who entered kindergarten for the first time in 2010-11, we will provide ELD stakeholders in PA with a descriptive analysis of one cohort of Pennsylvania kindergartners. This will enable ELD stakeholders to understand the composition and diverse needs of the children of the commonwealth which will inform program planning.

Authors

• Toscha J Blalock, University of Pennsylvania

• Philip M. Sirinides, University of Pennsylvania

• Aubrey H. Wang, Saint Joseph's University