Project Description: Effective Preschool and Kindergarten proposed to examine the short and long-term effects of a variety of curricular and organizational approaches to preprimary programs including quality measures based on NAEYC guidelines, academic vs. developmental kindergarten, full vs. half-day kindergarten, and the Story Telling and Retelling (STaR) program (an oral language/comprehension program used as part of the Success for All model).
Historically, early education has been viewed as a way to better the life chances of children born into poverty. From Montessori to Head Start to the current wave of state initiatives, early education has been seen as a viable intervention strategy for disadvantaged children. This project examines the short and long-term effects of a variety of curricular and organizational approaches to preschool education, thereby filling the information gap that currently exists in the debate over the future direction of preschool programs for the disadvantaged. Questions addressed include: (1) What should the emphasis be in preschool programs academic readiness or developmental enrichment? (2) What elements define "quality" in these programs? and (3) How are these elements related to student outcomes?
Activities proposed to be conducted as part of this project included:
(1) Quality Preschool Programs: Measurement and Validations (Activity 20010);
(2) Push Down: Real or Imagined Ill Effects? (Activity 20011);
(3) Full-Day and Half-Day Kindergarten Study (Activity 20012); and
(4) Evaluation of Story Telling and Retelling (Activity 20013).
These activities changed somewhat during the course of the project. Activities 20010 and 20011 were incorporated into the research and development of the Success for All program pre-school and kindergarten elements, and cannot be separated out. Separate research studies were completed on activities 20012 and on 20013.
Project Director: Karweit, Nancy L.
Institution: Johns Hopkins University
Activity ID: 7114-20010
Name of Activity: Quality Preschool Programs: Measurement and Validations
Description of Activity: This study is examining the short and long-term effects of a variety of curricular and organizational approaches to preprimary programs including quality measures based on NAEYC guidelines, academic vs. developmental kindergarten, full vs. half-day kindergarten, and the Story Telling and Retelling (STaR) program (an oral language/comprehension program used as part of the Success for All model). A widely used set of guidelines for assessing the quality of preschool education programs is published by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). These guidelines cover program operations, staffing, and instructional activities. However, while the NAEYC guidelines are commonly used for certification, their validity has not been empirically assessed. It is not known if NAEYC certification actually differentiates between quality and non-quality programs. Nor is it known if the "quality" of programs, as defined by adherence to these guidelines, is related to the attainment of desired student outcomes. This study investigates these issues in a three-step program of research that is designed: (1) to discover if NAEYC certification actually differentiates preschool programs according to practices and outcomes; (2) to provide empirically-based measures which can differentiate programs on the basis of desired goals; and (3) to assess the validity of these measures.
Evaluation results were incorporated as part of the Success for All project (1.1). This project has been completed.
Study Design: This investigation is conducted in three steps. In the first, an observational/assessment study of National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) certified and non-certified preschool programs is undertaken. Using an observation instrument developed to measure adherence to NAEYC guidelines, the researchers examine the extent to which NAEYC certification differentiates program practices and outcomes. Students are assessed with respect to both affective and cognitive domains, using "individualized" assessments. In the second step, the relationship of various program practices to student outcomes (e.g., self-concept, language skills, etc.) is assessed. The analysis is designed to provide measures which can differentiate programs on the basis of desired goals. In the final step, the validity of these empirically derived measures is investigated, employing a separate sample of preschool programs.
This study was not conducted according to the proposed design. Researchers instead concentrated on the study and development of preschool innovations as part of the development of the Success for All Program.
Are data from the study available? No
Activity ID: 7114-20011
Name of Activity: Push Down: Real or Imagined Ill Effects?
Description of Activity: This activity is examining the short and long-term effects of a variety of curricular and organizational approaches to preprimary programs including quality measures based on NAEYC guidelines, academic vs. developmental kindergarten, full vs. half-day kindergarten, and the Story Telling and Retelling (STaR) program (an oral language/comprehension program used as part of the Success for All model).There is a growing concern over the potentially deleterious effects of "pushing down" the first grade curriculum into the kindergarten classroom. Some researchers suggest that an emphasis on early academics may prove harmful to the social and academic development of young children. Yet, despite the concerns of developmentalists, kindergarten education continues to escalate academic demands, particularly in schools serving disadvantaged students in which early success in academics is viewed as an avenue to preventing future failure.
While the "pushdown" phenomenon has received much attention in the popular press and in academic journals, little empirical work has been conducted to verify the existence of the purported ill effects. Do children in academic kindergartens actually exhibit signs of stress, lack of motivation, and lack of independence? This study examines the short and long-term effects of participation in academic versus developmental kindergartens. By examining adjacent Chapter 1 schools which employ these distinct approaches to kindergarten education, researchers observe and assess student behavior and progress under the two contrasting philosophies.
Evaluation results were incorporated as part of the Success for All project (1.1). This project has been completed.
Study Design: This study follows the progress of kindergarten students in Baltimore City and Baltimore County as they continue through the primary grades. An observation instrument, developed to measure specific educational practices, is used to monitor classroom activities. Factors observed include the extent of direct teacher instruction, the opportunity for student initiated activities, student autonomy, and student self-reliance.
Chapter 1 schools with comparable student populations in Baltimore City and Baltimore County are matched for the analysis; Baltimore City's kindergarten curriculum is academic-based while Baltimore County's kindergarten is developmental-based. Each kindergarten class participating in the study is observed in the fall, winter, and spring. Achievement tests routinely collected by the district are obtained, and children's liking of school, self-concept as learner, and attribution of success are measured. The success of these students through grade three is determined by records on grade retention, grades earned, conduct, achievement scores, and attendance.
This study was not conducted according to the proposed design. Researchers instead concentrated on the study and development of preschool innovations as part of the development of the Success for All Program. In addition, some of the study questions were examined as part of Activity 20017.
Are data from the study available? Yes
Activity ID: 7114-20012
Name of Activity: Full-Day and Half-Day Kindergarten Study
Description of Activity: This activity is examining the short and long-term effects of a variety of curricular and organizational approaches to preprimary programs including quality measures based on NAEYC guidelines, academic vs. developmental kindergarten, full vs. half-day kindergarten, and the Story Telling and Retelling (STaR) program (an oral language/comprehension program used as part of the Success for All model). A common trend in kindergarten education is the extension of class time from a half day to a full day. A review of the effects of full-day kindergarten suggests that the extension of class time may be a useful strategy for disadvantaged students. However, weaknesses in the designs of most studies severely limit the certainty of this conclusion. In particular, many of the studies examining the effects of full-day kindergarten fail to differentiate between the effects of time and the effects of changing curriculum. Because many extensions to a full day coincide with a shift to a more academically oriented curriculum, it is frequently impossible to distinguish the two effects.
This study describes the activities and time use patterns of full and half-day kindergarten classrooms in schools using the same curriculum and serving similar student populations. The researchers also compare affective and cognitive measures of students enrolled in the kindergartens studied.
Study Design: Full and half-day kindergarten classes in schools serving comparably disadvantaged students are selected for examination. Achievement measures (Metropolitan Achievement Test scores) collected by the city in the fall and spring are supplemented by affective measures, such as self-esteem and liking of school. Observational data are collected for approximately twenty days in each classroom. In addition to measuring how time is used by the teachers, student interest and participation are assessed. The researchers also measure the management strategies used by teachers and students' reactions to these strategies.
Unit of Analysis: The unit of analysis is the classroom.
Generalizability: The findings of this study are generalizable to those classrooms examined.
Sample Description: This study is based on a sample of full and half-day kindergarten classrooms in schools serving comparably disadvantaged students. The sampling design is not specified.
Dependent Variables: The dependent variables are student outcome measures, including student achievement (Metropolitan Achievement Test scores), student interest and participation, and various affective measures, such as self-esteem and liking of school.
Independent Variables: The independent variable are classroom type (full-day versus half-day), use of classroom time, and management strategies employed by teachers.
External Variables Controlled: Control procedures/variables are not specified.
Statement of Finding(s): Modest although not always consistently positive achievement effects were found for full-day kindergarten vs. half-day, primarily for disadvantaged students.
Description of Finding(s): There is little evidence for long-term effects of full-day kindergarten, even after first grade. There is little evidence to suggest that full-day kindergarten has any positive effect with middle-class children.
Are data from the study available? Yes
Activity ID: 7114-20013
Name of Activity: Evaluation of Story Telling and Retelling (STaR)
Description of Activity: This activity is examining the short and long-term effects of a variety of curricular and organizational approaches to preprimary programs including quality measures based on NAEYC guidelines, academic vs. developmental kindergarten, full vs. half-day kindergarten, and the Story Telling and Retelling (STaR) program (an oral language/comprehension program used as part of the Success for All model).This study examines the effects of the Story Telling and Retelling (STaR) program for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten children. STaR, a component of the Success for All program, uses children's literature as the basis for structured language and comprehension-building conversations between the teacher and students. The researchers introduce the STaR curriculum into schools serving disadvantaged populations comparable to the populations served by the Success for All schools. They measure students' vocabulary and language acquisition and story comprehension to assess the effectiveness of the STaR curriculum and of STaR in conjunction with the Peabody Language Kit. Their ultimate objective is to evaluate the effectiveness of the STaR program as a separate component which could be used by preschools or kindergartens unable to participate in a full-scale school reorganization such as the Success for All model. Evaluation results were incorporated as part of the Success for All project. This project has been completed.
Study Design: This study is a longitudinal evaluation of the Story Telling and Retelling (STaR) program in Baltimore City schools. Preschool teachers, who take part in the study on a volunteer basis, are randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) those who use no additional curriculum; (2)those who use Story Telling and Retelling; or (3) those who use Story Telling and Retelling and the Peabody Language Kit. STaR uses children's literature as the basis for structured language and comprehension-building conversations between the teacher and students. The STaR kit contains 90 story lessons, each one containing a storybook, supporting artwork, a teacher guide sheet, and are tell guide sheet for individual student retell of the story. Teachers assigned to the STaR or STaR plus Peabody groups use these materials as part of their curricula.
In the fall and spring, the researchers administer the Test of Language Development (TOLD) and the Merrill Language Screening test to students in each of the three groups in order to measure vocabulary and language acquisition and story comprehension. They also collect student scores on the regular fall and spring achievement tests administered by the city.
Unit of Analysis: The unit of analysis is the individual student.
Generalizability: The sample of students examined in this study is not representative of a larger population; therefore, findings are generalizable only to those students participating in the study.
Sample Description: The sample consists of the students of preschool teachers who voluntarily participate. The numbers of schools, teachers, and students taking part in the study are unspecified.
Dependent Variables: Dependent variables are scores on the TOLD and the Merrill Language Screening test and scores on achievement tests.
Independent Variables: Treatment group, namely use of STaR, STaR plus Peabody, or no additional curriculum, represents the independent variable.
External Variables Controlled: Random assignment of teachers to one of the three treatment conditions controls extraneous teacher and student factors.
Statement of Finding(s): Story Telling and Retelling, used as the pre-K and K component of the Success for All program, contributed to the overall positive effects of the program.
Description of Finding(s): Matched pre- and posttest studies of children in classrooms using STAR compared with regular kindergarten classrooms indicate positive effects on individually administered tests of language development and comprehension. The effect size for the Test of Language Development (TOLD) Picture Vocabulary was +.24; for Sentence Imitation, +.59; for Grammatic Completion, +.69, and for the Merrill Language, +.43.
Are data from the study available? Yes
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