Elementary School Context and the Long-Term Impacts of North Carolina's Pre-Kindergarten Program

• In Event: 61.042 - Impacts of Early Childhood Interventions

Abstract

The positive effect of pre-kindergarten (pre-k) programming may be sustained and/or enhanced in the long-term if children 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 in the spring of kindergarten—one year after completion of the NC Pre-K program. Results indicated that the effect of NC Pre-K participation was not evident at the average level of classroom and school quality. However, in several cases, the positive effect of NC Pre-K participation became evident in higher-quality classroom and school contexts—providing support of the sustaining environments hypothesis.

Authors

• Robert C. Carr, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

• Ellen S. Peisner-Feinberg, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

• Rachel Kaplan

• Irina Mokrova, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill