Does Location Matter? School Pre-K Versus Center Pre-K and Its Link to Elementary School Absenteeism

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 1:30 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 4
  In Roundtable Session: Navigating Early Childhood Education: Policy, Collaboration, and the Realities of Pre-K Implementation (Table 7)

Abstract

In the United States, Pre-K is available in the context of a mixed-delivery system, where students may attend in a variety of center- or school-based settings. Enrollment in school-based Pre-K settings is increasingly common, yet little is known about differences in Pre-K settings (i.e., school-based versus center-based) and student outcomes in elementary school. Drawing on nationally-representative data, we document associations between Pre-K setting and student absenteeism throughout elementary school. We find evidence that absences are lower for students who went to center-based Pre-K, particularly if they stayed in the same school throughout elementary school. This provides evidence of easing transitions and familiarity. We discuss the implications of these findings for future research, policy, and practice.

Authors

• Michael A. Gottfried, University of Pennsylvania

• Philip Kim, University of Pennsylvania

• Samantha Kreda, University of Pennsylvania

• Michael H. Little, North Carolina State University

• Lora A. Cohen-Vogel, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill