The Effects of Preschool

g Head: THE EFFECTS OF PRESCHOOL

The Effects of Preschool
On Reading and Math Test Scores

A Proposal
Presented to the
Graduate Faculty of
Troy University
In partial Fulfillment of the requirements
for EDU 6691
By
Kari Beth Price










Chapter I
Introduction
Statement of the Problem
President George W. Bush and the National Governor’s Association established eight national goals, which were designed to have been met in this decade. One of the eight goals was that children would be ready to learn when they start school (Shipley & Oborn, 1996). This puts a great deal of emphasis on preschool education and the importance of it. Children can participate in a variety of preschools and settings – public preschool, the Head Start Program, private preschools and Montessori preschools. Each setting has a different atmosphere and may have a different approach to learning. But which one is correct and most beneficial to children entering a full-day school setting? That is what we will be exploring throughout this study.
Since 1970 the percentage of children attending a preschool has increased from 20% to 44% in 1990 (Abouzeid & Rosemery, 1994). 500,000 four year olds were enrolled in the Head Start Program in 2006 (Early, Maxwell, Burchinal, Bender, Ebanks, Henry, Iriondo-Perez, Mashburn, Pianta, Alva, Bryant, Cai, Clifford, Griffin, Howes, Jeon, Peisner-Feinburg, Vandergrift, Zill, 2007). More and more of the U.S. population are involving their children in a pre-kindergarten establishment. More women are involving themselves in the workforce, partly due to the increase of the divorce rate and the single-family homes. Therefore, their young children need a place to go when their parents are working (Shipley & Oborn, 1996). Enrolling children in a preschool program or daycare is a wonderful solution. Decades ago, women stayed at home to care for their children, and educated them there (Abouzeid & Rosemery, 1994). With the growing trends across our nation, it has become more acceptable to send young children to preschool and daycare the majority of the day.
The important aspect in choosing an appropriate preschool for your children is to considering choosing one that is highly qualified. Preschools can be extremely important in all aspects of children’s development – social, emotional, cognitive, physical, literacy and language.
High quality experiences provided by highly qualified preschools can increase the development opportunities and social and mental competencies. In these sorts of preschools, the foundations are laid for a successful future for children. Children involved in these types of programs are introduced to early literacy experiences that are given by knowledgeable and well-trained teachers. Types of literacy activities ideal for preschool settings include discussions about books, retelling of stories or key events, writing and listening (Morrow, 2004).
All children should be introduced to pre-kindergarten schooling. It can be beneficial to all children in all socio-economic levels and backgrounds. Preschool appears to benefit children who have poor economic background and no parental involvement the most (Morrow, 2004). Certain programs such as Head Start, Follow Through, Title I, and other public school programs are geared towards reaching this population of people.
High-risk students that were involved in pre-kindergarten were less likely to be placed in a special education classroom once they entered the elementary school setting (Lee, Brooks-Gunn, Shnur & Liaw, 1994). Studies also found that there was a lesser need to retain those children that attended preschool, less juvenile delinquency, less teen pregnancy, a lesser need for welfare and unemployment rates where lower when compared to those students who did not attend a pre-kindergarten. A negative aspect that has continued to occur and reoccur amongst statistics about preschool is that academic advantages tend to fade by the time those particular children reach third grade (Seawell & Ross, 1992).
One study completed in Great Britain examined three different sets of students for four years – those children who attended a preschool, those that attended a daycare and those children who did not attend preschool at all. The researchers looked at the test scores of these children and discovered that the children that did not attend any preschool had significantly less test scores. Children that attended preschool also had a higher self-esteem or outlooks about themselves as well as an understanding for basic skills (math and reading). Allowing your child to become involved in a preschool outside of the home setting has a lasting effect on school achievement (Brenber & Davies, 1997).
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of the study is to determine if attending preschool is beneficial to a child’s reading and math abilities, shown through test scores as compared to those children who did not attend preschool before beginning elementary school.
Significance of the Study
Based on the new standards adapted by President George W. Bush, children must be ready to attend school at an appropriate age. Enrolling children in preschool is the best way to prepare young children for their first year in elementary school. The President worked with the states to develop early intervention strategies that would prepare young children for school. (Shipley & Oborn, 1996) He wanted children to know their letters, numbers and have a strong vocabulary upon entering school (Duncan, Claessens, Huston, Pagani, Enge, Sexton, Dowsett, Magnuson, Klebanov, Feinstein, Brooks-Gunn, Duckworth, Japel, 2007). It was agreed that all children should have access to some sort of program that allowed for success in school as well as parental involvement. Public organizations that offer these types of programs include Head Start, Title I, etc. The goal was that at least one year of preschool would be offered to underprivileged children (Shipley & Oborn, 1996).
Trends in education have emerged as well. Children are expected to perform on the first grade level when they are entering kindergarten. Strict principles that influence standardized test scores have pushed teachers to run a classroom where they have to move quickly through the curriculum in a short period of time. Children are being asked to perform on the grade level higher that what was expected decades ago. The love of learning has disappeared in some classrooms. Therefore, pre-kindergarten is a good place for children to understand and develop a love for learning, especially in math. A high-quality math program will teach pre-kindergarteners the basics of mathematics, while allowing them to explore and develop confidence through inquiries of the subject (Perry, 1999).
Research has found that more and more four-year-old children are involved in preschools that deal specifically with the preparing that age group of children for school. Within the data researched, studies found that high-quality preschools provided the better foundations for school readiness and success (Early et al, 2007). Parental involvement within in the school increases the students’ interest as well. Children will see their parents interested in what they are achieving and parents can learn how to help their children become better students (Perry, 1999).
Parents and guardians are interested in knowing if these programs are successful and provide the services that they say they will. A variety of studies have been performed throughout the years questioning the effectiveness of preschool programs. Some studies have shown that advantaged children that attended preschool outperformed those children who went to daycare or did not attend preschool at all. Yet another study found that children that had two or more years of daycare had better math scores than those children who did not (Shipley & Oborn, 1996). In addition to that information, another recent study found that an early concept of math (numbers and the order that they go in) was a predictor for success in math in the later years. Math is also proven to be a dominant predictor for reading success (Duncan et al, 2007). Learning which school provides that best preschool education, a high-quality education, for your child is important for any parent to know.
Definition of Terms
Head Start Program: The Head Start Program began in 1964 in the Johnson administration as a part of the war on poverty. The program was designed to involve parents in the centers, as well as provide medical and dental treatment, school readiness, psychological development and education for parents (Lee et al, 1990, Shipley & Oborn, 1996).
Public preschools: Public preschools used the results of high stakes testing and developed an early childhood education program. These were designed to be centrally located and provide free services to the community with a qualified staff (Shipley & Oborn, 1996).
Private preschool: These programs range from a variety of structures and curriculums and all promise different things. These programs are not state mandated or accredited (Shipley & Oborn, 1996). Examples of private preschools may include church preschool programs, preschools associated with businesses, and Montessori schools.
High-quality preschools: High-quality preschools foster literacy and language skills that are necessary for a child’s development and future. These types of preschools emphasize story telling, dramatic play, retelling of stories and reading (Morrow, 2004).
Preschool readiness: Preschool readiness is preparing children to enter an elementary school setting, which can be obtained through the attendance of a pre-kindergarten school.

Limitations and Delimitations:
The proposed study will use a quantitative methodology to investigate the effects of public and private preschool on reading and math scores. The types of preschools researched will be found in the Southeastern part of the United States.
Hypothesis
Children that attend a private preschool, such as a church preschool or Montessori school are more likely to have high test scores in reading and math.
Chapter II

Review of Literature

In the past several years attention has been drawn to the “No Child Left Behind” Act and the bills surrounding this act of Congress. In 2002, President George W. Bush formulated the bill, which claims that each child should know their letters and numbers by the time they reach school age (kindergarten) (Duncan et al, 2007). Teachers are now being forced into the spotlight and they are feeling the pressure of the success rate of the students in their class. This in return puts a great deal of pressure on the preschool teachers, because now what was expected in kindergarten and first grade now has to be taught in preschool (Perry, 1999). Bush also stated that the nation should have to help children reach this point (Duncan et al, 2007). Therefore, the citizens of America are called to help make a difference in children’s lives across the country. There are many ideas and viewpoints about the most appropriate way to teach children and what is pertinent for children to know before entering kindergarten or first grade. Some may think that enrolling their child in a public preschool program such as Head Start may be the correct way to prepare students for school. Others may think that enrolling children in private preschools such as church-based schools or Montessori schools are the answers to the questions. There is a plethora of literature surrounding these topics and much more about school readiness and preschool curriculums.
Importance of Preschool
The number of children that now participate in preschool on a yearly basis has risen since 1970. Studies and literature have shown that that strong links occur in early literary experiences and learning to read, as well as links between alphabet knowledge and learning to read. Society is now depending on the fact that children learn their ABC’s in preschool, so that students can focus on more advanced skills in kindergarten – learning to read more difficult books and focusing of phonemic awareness at a greater extent (Abouzeid & Rosemery,1994).
The most important years to teach children the basis for social, emotional, physical, cognitive, language and literacy development are when they are in the three to four-year-old age bracket. Studies have shown that preschool is beneficial to all children in all economic groups. Those children who come from a home where there is no educational background for the parents and are in the lowest economic group show the most benefits when children are involved in preschool (Morrow, 2004).
Children that do participate in prekindergarten intervention programs are less likely to be in special education, be retained, be unemployed in later years, or be victims of teen pregnancy or juvenile delinquency. Another positive effect found through research is that most children who attend a prekindergarten program are noted to have good behavior in later years (Seawell & Ross, 1992).
According to Early et al (2007), children participating in a high quality preschool experience are laying the foundation for greater success in school in the later years. The goal of these preschools is to change the child’s development through an educational experience. This can be done through a high-quality preschool setting and curriculum. Research has shown that high quality preschool experiences do have an effect on brain development. Children that are at-risk seem to show the greatest development improvements through these types of experiences.
There is not much information that states that children attending preschool is “bad”. Most information shows overall positive development in children. The downfall is that it is not a state requirement that children attend preschool or some sort of education before beginning kindergarten. In fact, in the state of Alabama, children do not have to start attending school until the age of seven. As stated earlier, teachers are feeling the pressure to teach children at a younger age their ABC’s, numbers and important vocabulary. Therefore, teachers have to move quicker to get everything accomplished in a short amount of time. This will leave less time for developmentally appropriate activities and games and stimulate the brain and encourage learning at different levels (Perry, 1999).
Public and Private Preschool
Children can become involved in a preschool in a variety of forms and preschool is attainable for all socioeconomic levels and financial abilities. The government has provided the nation with several publically funded options for pre-kindergarten. These may include Head Start or Title I programs. If parents choose to involve their children in preschool through another form, students can be enrolled in private preschools. Some examples of these types of preschools may include church-based programs, schools associated with businesses or Montessori schools. These programs can also be found in every state across the United States. Each program has pros and cons, but it is up to the parent to decide what is appropriate for his or her child.
The four-year-old in today’s society comes from varying family foundations. It is assumed that the average four-year-old has been exposed to some daycare or preschool. Most children have experienced divorce, split households, inconsistency at home, and changing values. Therefore, much of the responsibility of leading and guiding some children falls into the hands of teachers. It is ideal that a firm support base be provided for the child through home, school environments and activities. This in return will nurture the development of the four-year-old and help them develop his or her self-concept (Position Statement from the Southern Association on Children Under Six 1986).
Head Start began in 1960 and has been growing continually each year. This is a publically funded school organization that is centrally located in the community and is designed to reach underprivileged and low socioeconomic level families and children. Lee and Loeb (1994) stated that Head Start seems to reach “the poorest of the poor.” Overall, the Head Start program seems to have a diminishing effect on its participants. By the time the student reaches third or fourth grade, the student does not seem to be achieving or performing any better than a child who did not participate in the Head Start program. This statement seems to be especially true for those students who do not receive any sort of follow up intervention. Several complaints Lee and Loeb (1994) stated in their article was that there seemed to be great variation in quality of the program, a lack of follow through by the program itself and the administrators, and the program provided students with a weak educational environment.
Early et al (2007) also made some statements about the Head Start program that has been implemented over the past few decades. Because it is federally funded, there is a great deal of controversy over the teachers’ salaries. This in return leads to debate of whether teacher qualifications are high enough or too high. With publically funded schools, we are not seeing equal footing among all of the states; the education guidelines can vary from state to state.
Montessori schools began in 1907 from an idea that was formulated by Maria Montessori. Presently there are 4,000 Montessori schools in the United States that are privately funded. The curriculum and basis of the Montessori school is that children have “sensitive periods” which are different for each child. This is the idea that children learn certain ideas at certain ages. Therefore, children are allowed to choose which activities they would like to participate in during the school day, in hopes that their sensitive period would lead them in the appropriate direction. Children use a great deal of manipulatives, instead of worksheets, tests and paperwork. This is different from what is being seen in public schools across America (Lopata, Wallace, & Finn, 2005).
Several studies have been conducted through the years about the effectiveness of Montessori schools. Some studies show that these schools are more effective; other studies show that there is no major difference between these types of classrooms and traditional classrooms. One study conducted in 1987 tested Montessori students on their standardized test scores, the Iowa Test of Basic Skills and the Metropolitan Achievement Test, and those scores were compared to traditional classroom students’ scores. The results found that Montessori scores were significantly higher than those students in a conventional classroom setting.
Research and literature states that there are several important factors also for teachers who are working with this age group. For instance, according to Morrow (2004) preschool aged children need to have parents that are involved in their school environment and with what comes home each night as practice for the children. An example may be that a four-year-old preschooler may need some extra practice after hours with his or her sight words. Parental involvement would be necessary at this point, because the child may need help making flash cards or going over the flashcards with an adult. Out of school experiences are necessary for children at this age. Equally important would be that the preschoolers’ parents know and understand the routines and activities that the children participate in at school. The parents may want to incorporate some of the same routines at home. This may help the child familiarize themselves with processes at school and help them adjust better to the school setting. Parental involvement may be something that is lacking with the public preschool setting.
Morrow (2004) also points out another interesting fact that is important for preschools across America. The fact is preschools should have the community’s involvement as well. Through the community’s effort and involvement, there can be a push to establish quality preschools, to fund research strategies or topics and to provide necessary resources. Public schools may be more apt to receive community assistance; because they are publically funded where as private preschools are not.
What is important for parents and teachers who are interested in their child’s well
being and education to understand is that children need to be involved in a high quality
preschool programs. Their children need an education that focuses on organized and skillful play is developmentally appropriate, and focuses on literacy and language development (Position Statement from the Southern Association on Children Under Six 1986).
According to Duncan et al (2007) Teachers are encouraged to have an exploratory classroom where young children can investigate subjects and skills instead of a “drill-based” program. The main focus of any preschool classroom and environment should be language and math concepts. If children develop these skills at a young age, they will succeed in later years.




Chapter III
Methodology
To explore the hypothesis, which was stated earlier, the researchers will use an analysis of the data where the specific methodologies will be explored. A quantitative study of the data will be implemented to investigate any statistical information.
Methods used by the study will investigate information gathered from test scores that will be completed by the students when they complete their four-year-old preschool year before entering kindergarten. A test will also be given to students when they complete their first year in kindergarten to see the progress the students have made since the completion of preschool. Ultimately, the researcher will analyze data to see which students excel in the reading and math subject areas, those students who have completed private preschool or those who completed public preschool. The school will both have similar demographics as well as the same age group of students – 4-year-old children. Boys and girls will both be part of the study. Therefore, students have to complete one year of private or public preschool to be eligible for the study.
Research Questions
The research questions will be answered through the analysis of the test scores. 1) Does the completion of public or private preschool increase students’ success in reading content area when they are in kindergarten? 2) Does the completion of public or private preschool increase students’ success in mathematics in kindergarten? 3) Are children who attend public or private preschool overall more prepared for the kindergarten program?


Instrumentation
The instrument that will be used in the study to test the effects of preschool in success in kindergarten will be a paired samples t-test. This will compare the means of two variables. The children that complete private preschool, their reading scores will be compared to those scores of children who attend public preschool.
Data Collection
The data collection process will entail the researcher administering a reading and math test to the students after they have completed preschool. Then a test will be given to the same students after the completion of kindergarten. The researcher will be able to see the progress of the students over the year and also compare the test scores between reading and math scores in the two different years the child attended.
Ethical Treatment of Human Subjects
To participate in the study, the parents of the chosen students must complete a parental consent form. Part of the consent form will detail the guidelines of the research project as well as providing the risk parameters. The schools must also give their consent of the researchers to take a part in their school and look at their programs that they have implemented in their school setting.
It is important for the parents of the preschool children to be informed of parameters of the study, so that parents can make an informed decision about their children’s participation in the test. The consent form will also explain how parents may withdraw their child from the study at any time if they feel uncomfortable with the research. There is no need of deception to be used within the study. At the conclusion of the study, a debriefing will be given to the parents by the researcher. During this time, parents will be given a specific time to ask questions and receive feedback concerning the success of the research.
Data Analysis
The study will use a software program to help analyze the test scores of the participants. The program that will be used is called SPSS, the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Through using this particular data analysis software, the researchers will be able to compare two sets of data with each other.
The researcher enters the statistical information into the program and the scores are placed in appropriate columns. By using this program, the researcher is trying to eliminate any bias.
Through the gathering and exploring of the data, researcher will determine whether children who attend public preschool or private preschool have a greater success in kindergarten reading and math scores.
Population
The researcher will gather test scores from all over the state of Alabama. There will be an equal number of private schools and public schools. The researcher would like to gather information from several different varieties of private school for the comparison of data. There will be an equal number of boys and girls that participate in the study. There will be an equal number of races and socioeconomic levels that are participants in the study. The researcher is trying to make the numbers surrounding the study and its participants as equal as possible.



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