Early Childhood Education: Academic and Behavioral Benefits of Prekindergarten Educational Programming

Abstract

State-funded prekindergarten educational programming for all children is a rarity in the United States. Five states offer no financial support to fund prekindergarten educational programming, and the majority offer partial funding. Only three states provide universally funded prekindergarten educational programming. The purpose of this study is to examine some of the benefits of prekindergarten educational programming to identify reasons to expand the programs and subsequently enroll, at the very least, all economically eligible children. The study analyzed the results of attendance, behavior reports, and test scores to evaluate the academic and behavioral success of six cohorts of students in Grades K–5. All students studied qualified for educational programming support at the level of 100% poverty. The two studied groups are those students who attended the prekindergarten educational programming and those students who did not attend prekindergarten educational programming. The study revealed statistically significant results predominately with behavior and more specifically with office referrals. Students who attended prekindergarten educational programming received fewer office referrals at a statistically significant level compared with those students who did not attend the prekindergarten programming. Academically, the overall results of the data showed that those students who completed prekindergarten educational programming outscored their counterparts who did not attend prekindergarten but not at a statistically significant level. Studies showing the benefits of prekindergarten educational programming may motivate local and state officials to support funding to ensure that at a minimum, all students who qualify based on poverty will have the opportunity to attend prekindergarten educational programming.