Elementary School Policies and Practices and the Persistence of Pre-K Benefits

• In Event: Exclusionary Policies and Practices in Early Childhood Education Settings

Abstract

This study examined the prevalence of five school-level policies and practices that may shape kindergarteners’ experiences and tested whether those factors are associated with children’s academic learning in general, and differentially by preK attender status. Using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Kindergarten Class of 2010-2011, we found that the school-level factors of interest were prevalent and frequently used in kindergarten. However, these school-level factors were not related to children’s academic learning over the kindergarten year, nor were there differential associations by preK attendance status. Given that kindergarten is important for lifelong learning, and evidence of converging academic growth between preK attenders and non-attenders during kindergarten, researchers should consider other aspects of the kindergarten experience that may shape learning.

Authors

• Kathryn Zimmermann, Ohio State University

• Qingqing Yang, The Ohio State University - Columbus

• Arya Ansari, The Ohio State University

• Kelly Purtell, The Ohio State University