The Massachusetts Board of Education is required to establish standards for prekindergarten programs serving 3- and 4-year-olds in whole- or half-day programs. This document presents the standards to be used by programs receiving Chapter 188 Early Childhood funds. The program standards are intended to guide ongoing development, evaluation, and…

This document presents a self-assessment instrument for early childhood programs serving 3- and 4-year-olds in Massachusetts. The self-assessment is intended to provide guidance to program personnel, local early childhood advisory council members, and parents as they evaluate their programs and identify areas for improvement. The instrument also…

Initial findings of a longitudinal study of the efficacy of public preschool programs in South Carolina are presented. Two separate research designs were used to study 362 preschoolers in comparison with 1,662 non-preschoolers. School readiness was increased by participation in preschool when a minimum level of quality was maintained. (SLD)

The Louisiana State-Funded Program for High-Risk Four-Year-Olds (SPHF) works to improve the readiness of preschool children eligible to enter kindergarten the following year who are at risk of being insufficiently prepared. This interim report qualitatively and quantitatively evaluates the implementation and effectiveness of the SPHF. Sixty-two…