The Office of Educational Research
and Improvement in the U.S. Department of Education
has funded the National Center for Early Development
and Learning to conduct a multi-state study of U.S.
pre-kindergarten (pre-k) programs. For this study,
"pre-k" includes center-based programs for
4-year olds that are fully or partially funded by
state education agencies and that are operated in
schools or under the direction of state and local
education agencies. Several surveys of state pre-k
programs have been conducted, but this effort is the
first multi-state study to include extensive classroom
observations, child assessments, and kindergarten
follow-up. This study will generate completely new
data about the nation's pre-k programs.
The study is taking place in six states
selected from among states that have committed significant
resources to pre-k initiatives. States were selected
to maximize diversity with regard to geography, program
settings (public school or community setting), program
intensity (full-day vs. part-day), and educational
requirements for teachers. Within each state, a random
sample of 40 centers/schools was selected. One classroom
in each center/school was selected at random for observation,
and four children in each classroom were selected
for individual assessment. Data collection began in
the fall of 2001 and will end in the spring of 2003,
following children from the beginning of pre-k through
the end of kindergarten. (Click
here for further information on sampling)
In five of the six states we also visited
families in their homes. The aim of this family component
was to gather information from parents and children
that can be used to describe variations in home learning
environments, relationships, and practices and assess
their impact on academic motivation, reading, numeracy,
and socio-emotional competence. Parents provided information
about their views of the programs, their relationships
with schools and teachers, and their children's development.
Additionally, parents and children were videotaped
while playing games together. Supplemental funding
for the family visits was provided by the Foundation
for Child Development.
In the spring of 2003 we are studying
financing and cost issues of the pre-kindergarten
programs in the study in collaboration with the National
Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) at
Rutgers University and with the National Prekindergarten
Center (NPC) at the FPG Child Development Institute
at UNC-CH. Financial data to be gathered include both
revenues and expenses or costs. Federal, state, local,
private and miscellaneous revenue data will be collected.
Cost data to be collected include labor costs (e.g.,
salaries, benefits, contracted services), facility
costs (e.g., rent, utilities, repair and maintenance,
insurance), and program costs (e.g., supplies and
materials, food service, equipment, staff training
and education). Other related information we will
collect includes in-kind contributions, and program
enrollment and staffing. The data are being collected
through an on-site interview with program directors
or principals, and with other agency or district level
staff as needed. We are collecting financial information
for the 2001-2002 school year to allow us to have
accurate cost and revenue data on the pre-kindergarten
programs for the same year we have the full set of
data on programs and children.
A collaborative team of researchers
(listed below) from the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill, the University of California at Los
Angeles, and the University of Virginia are conducting
this study. Key pre-k administrators from each participating
state and national early childhood experts work with
the researchers to evaluate progress, discuss preliminary
results, and strategize about next steps. Within each
state, a team of well-trained data collectors is conducting
the observations and assessments. More details about
the study are provided below.
Educational
significance
This information about how public schools are
supporting young children's learning and development
will provide the early childhood community with new
knowledge in several key areas:
- pre-k teacher education and training;
- practices teachers use in the classroom and how
they relate to the acquisition of language, literacy,
and mathematics competencies, as well as social-emotional
development;
- community partnerships for funding early learning
programs;
- effective strategies for disseminating early childhood
education information to teachers, policy-makers,
and parents; and
- impact of pre-k programs on early education and
development.
This research will provide guidance
for state and local public policy-making and for day-to-day
practices in schools, centers, and classrooms. While
the data collected will not provide a precise description
of child outcomes and classroom quality at the level
of each state, it will give participating states a
broad picture of their current pre-k and kindergarten
programs.
State selection
Based on data obtained from NCEDL's Survey of State
Early Childhood Specialists, state-level pre-k administrators
from 10 states with large pre-kindergarten initiatives
attended a meeting in Chapel Hill, NC in late November
2000. The purpose of the meeting was for researchers
and state pre-k administrators to discuss details
of the study design and implementation and to share
additional information about pre-k programs. Following
this meeting, six states were invited to participate
in the study. The state selection was based on geographic
diversity, program settings, intensity, and educational
requirements for teachers, creating a targeted (rather
than nationally representative) sample. In each state,
we are working with key early childhood personnel
to implement the study and interpret and disseminate
the results.
Information being
collected about the general quality of classroom services
and specific instructional practices
(Click here for a
list of Measures)
Detailed information is being gathered
about what is actually happening in the pre-k and
kindergarten classrooms. We are learning what early
childhood teachers think about child development and
how they actually teach, including instructional practices
around language, literacy, mathematics concepts, and
social-emotional competencies. Additionally, we are
learning about practices teachers and schools use
to help young children make the transition from pre-k
to kindergarten. Research on transition issues was
an integral part of NCEDL's work during its first
five years and continues to be a primary focus.
Within the 40 classrooms in each participating
state, carefully trained data collectors are conducting
classroom observations twice each year. Additionally,
surveys are being used with administrators/principals,
teachers, and parents. These data should provide early
childhood teachers and administrators, policy-makers,
families, and teacher educators with new knowledge
as to how teachers' professional development/training
experiences match actual classroom practices and provide
a thorough description of pre-k and kindergarten classroom
environments.
Information being
gathered about children
(Click here for a list
of Measures)
Within each participating pre-k classroom,
4 randomly selected children are being assessed using
an appropriate battery of individual instruments to
measure language, literacy, mathematics, and related
concept development, as well as social competence.
A panel of expert reviewers aided the researchers
in selecting a variety of standardized and non-standardized
assessments.
The pre-k child assessments were conducted
in the fall and spring of 2001-02. The same children
are being followed into kindergarten and assessed
in the fall and spring of 2002-03. These data will
help us understand whether the specific practices
employed by pre-k teachers make a difference in the
transition to kindergarten. We will have information
about how pre-k programs help prepare young children
to be successful in kindergarten. This approach will
allow us to have a much clearer understanding of the
relationship between specific instructional practices
in pre-k and kindergarten classes and the various
components of child outcomes under investigation.
Information being
gathered about families
In individual home-based interviews, information on
socio-economic, socio-cultural, and familial contexts
were obtained through open-ended questions, structured
ratings, and videotaped parent-child interactions.
Specifically, parents were asked about: (a) family
life as it relates to socio-economic status and socio-cultural
environment; (b) family educational practices and
beliefs about the comparative roles of school and
family in educating children; (c) the nature and quality
of the home-school relationship; and (d) their own
ratings of their children's psychological development
and social competence.
Dissemination
A strong dissemination effort is planned, commensurate with
the importance of the NCEDL Multi-State Study of Pre-Kindergarten.
In addition, after we have collected the pre-k data, we
will invite the pre-k teachers and aides who participated
in the study to share their ideas about disseminating the
information to those who need it to effect change. We will
use the website developed during NCEDL's initial funding
period, press releases and press conferences, as well as
a variety of print resources. Our key work will continue
to be published through quality peer-reviewed journals.
NCEDL will continue its close collaboration with the early
childhood specialists in state departments of education.
We will seek guidance from them on key decisions as well
as provide them with early access to findings through an
annual conference and regular contact through print and
web-based materials.
|
Research
team |
| Co-Directors:
|
| For
further information:
National
Center for Early
Development & Learning
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
CB #8040
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-8040
(919)966-7168
e-mail:
diane_early@unc.edu
web:
www.ncedl.org
|
|
| Richard
Clifford, UNC-CH |
| Donna
Bryant, UNC-CH |
|
| Assistant
Directors: |
| Lynette
Aytch, UNC-CH |
| Diane
Early, UNC-CH |
|
| Principal
Investigators: |
| Oscar
Barbarin, UNC-CH |
| Margaret
Burchinal, UNC-CH |
| Carollee
Howes, UCLA |
| Robert
Pianta, UVa |
| Pam
Winton, UNC-CH |
|
| Investigators:
|
Project
Staff: |
| Kathleen
Bernier, UNC-CH |
Cheri
Coleman, UNC-CH |
| Marcia
Kraft-Sayre, UVa |
Gisele
Crawford, UNC-CH |
| Terry
McCandies, UNC-CH |
Sean
Doig, UNC-CH |
| Sharon
Ritchie, UCLA |
Monika
Peters, UVa |
| |
Wanda
Weaver, UNC-CH |
| |
Billie
Weiser, UCLA |
|
Printable
version of This Summary [94k
MS Word file]
Pre-Kindergarten
Measures: Fall 2001-Spring 2002 [35k
MS Word file]
Pre-Kindergarten
Measures: Fall 2002-Spring 2003 [31k
MS Word file]
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