Direct and Indirect Impacts of Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten on Kindergarten Readiness and Achievement

• In Event: 15.059 - Fairmont Royal York Roundtable Session One
  In Roundtable Session: 15.059-6 - Evaluation of Early Childhood Programs

Abstract

Early Childhood Education programs are essential in providing students with the skills they need to understand what will be taught in kindergarten. This is especially important for students from low socioeconomic backgrounds who are less likely to learn these skills at home. While Florida’s Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) program currently serves most four-year-olds in the state, some have questioned the quality of the program. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the direct and indirect effects of Florida’s VPK program on kindergarten readiness and academic achievement. The results suggest that, regardless of socioeconomic status, children who attended Florida’s VPK program were just as prepared and performed equally as well in kindergarten as those who did not attend this program.

Authors

• Karyn A Allee-Herndon, University of Central Florida

• M. H. Clark, University of Central Florida

• Haiyan Bai, University of Central Florida

• Sherron K. Roberts, University of Central Florida