Long-term Effects of Preschool Math

• In Event: The Long-Term Effects of Preschool Interventions

Abstract

Early math is a “linchpin” skill that predicts later math scores, executive functioning, reading, and high school completion (Duncan et al., 2007; Sarama et al., 2012). Yet, few studies of preschool causally and rigorously assess the long-term effects; those that do show a mixed pattern of results (e.g., Watts et al., 2018; Gray-Lobe et al., 2022). The current study, Making Pre-K Count (MPC), rigorously assesses whether providing an evidence-based math curriculum (Building Blocks), with extensive professional development in preschool, improves 4-year-olds from low-income communities’ outcomes at the end of pre-K and third grade, relative to typical pre-K math experience.  

MPC is a cluster-randomized trial of the Building Blocks curriculum (Clements & Sarama, 2008) plus training and coaching. Preschools were blocked and randomly assigned to receive the curriculum and PD (n=35), or pre-K-as-usual (n=34).  The program was well-implemented and led to positive impacts on the amount and quality of math in preschool (Mattera, et al., 2018). The study sample included 2715 children (Mage=4.2 years; 51.3% female; 54% Hispanic, 39% non-Hispanic Black). 1844 (68%) students had available outcomes in third grade.

The study explored impacts on math, literacy, executive function, special education placement, and retention in grade. The study also explored variation in impacts across several subgroups.Analyses compare outcomes at the end of pre-K and third grade between children who attended the 35 pre-K programs that implemented MPC and children who attended the 34 pre-K-as-usual programs. Multilevel modeling accounted for the nesting of children within classrooms, and within pre-K sites. Fixed effects indicators representing each random assignment block were included at the site level. To improve precision, covariates were included: race/ethnicity; gender; home language; parent education; child’s age; baseline measures of child’s: English proficiency (pre-LAS); executive function (Spatial Conflict Arrows, Corsi Block); attention (PSRA); receptive language (ROWPTV).

At the end of pre-K, MPC had no statistically significant impacts on the primary outcome, children’s math, but had positive and statistically significant impacts on math and EF for some subgroups (language ability, children in public-school programs). MPC had a positive but not statistically significant impact on third-grade math (ES=0.10, p=0.18), but had positive and statistically significant impacts for some subgroups. MPC had large and statistically significant impacts on math scores for children with weaker self-regulation and language skills at pre-K entry (ES=0.36, p=0.005 and ES=0.28, p=.08; Table 5). Effects also varied for children based on pre-K venue.

The MPC findings demonstrate small, positive, but sometimes inconsistent long-term effects of a comprehensive preschool math intervention. These findings add to the growing evidence base of long-term effects of early childhood interventions, both (e.g., Sarama, Clements, Starkey, Klein, & Wakeley, 2008; Raver et al., 2008) and null or negative (e.g., Lipsey, Farran & Hofer, 2015; Puma et al., 2010). Exploratory analyses suggest that the preschool math program may have been more effective for some children and in some contexts.  The paper will discuss these findings in the context of how many states (e.g., Mississippi, Maine, Arkansas) are moving to support early math more robustly.

Author

• Shira Kolnik Mattera, MDRC
  Presenting Author