In this paper we analyze the extent to which a mandated kindergarten assessment predicts 3rd grade outcomes, and the academic progression for students from 3rd grade to high school. We find that the kindergarten assessment strongly predicts 3rd grade outcomes, with the math skills assessment being especially predictive of 3rd grade academic…

Dual language learner children (DLLs) benefit from early childhood education (ECE) and learning multiple languages, but research has predominantly focused on English monolingual children, with limited insight on the ECE and early development of DLLs. This study investigated whether DLLs' developmental assets assessed at pre-k entry (i.e. English…

This study assessed differences in fathers' roles and involvements in children's development and learning in Tanzania. It compared fathers' socio-economic statuses and their implications on children's various indicators of learning attainments. A total of 400 fathers and 400 pre-primary and early grades children aged between 5 and 7 years -- 100…

Contemporary Froebelian-inspired early childhood education in the United States is challenged by government regulation and accreditation requirements that have arisen alongside neoliberalism in education. Using Critical Policy Analysis and case study examples from a preschool in Atlanta, Georgia, this paper examines the influence of neoliberalism…

Background: As populations of refugee children increase globally, strategies for providing quality and relevant educational experiences for this group of children has become a priority. This is because research suggests that refugee children tend to experience higher school dropout rates due to, among other factors, poverty, lack of shelter and…

This paper outlines the use of Learning Language and Loving It™ -- The Hanen Program® for Early Years Educators/Teachers (LLLI) with Early Years Educators (EYEs) as part of a community-based early years Continuing Professional Development (CPD) intervention. Trainer sensitivity to the cultural use of questions by EYEs was used as a means to raise…

Currently, the most widely used direct assessment of motivation orientation for preschoolers has little to no research on its reliability and validity. This study examined the test-retest reliability and concurrent and predictive validity of this direct assessment. Results highlight potential limitations of this measure in capturing motivation…

The purpose of this report is to investigate the feasibility of constructing a school-level measure of students' academic growth from kindergarten to grade 3, and to assess the validity and precision of that measure. The study measured schoolwide student growth for reading and math using student growth percentiles based on Maryland's 2014/15…

Children from low-income households are at risk for entering school behind their more economically advantaged peers across major domains of school readiness. The Head Start program represents the federal government's response to these achievement gaps by mandating the use of scientifically based assessments and curricula to provide children with…

We present a reanalysis of the Tennessee Voluntary Prekindergarten Program (TNVPK), a state-funded program designed to promote the school readiness of 4-year-olds from low-income families. Oversubscribed programs used a lottery to randomly assign prospective enrollees a chance to attend TNVPK. We found that assignment to the program had largely…

Research Findings: The amount of time and type of program that children experience in early childhood settings may be associated with children's kindergarten-entry skills, or kindergarten readiness. Taking a person-centered perspective, in the present study, we examined the extent to which reliable and unique profiles of early childhood…

This paper presents a new estimate that pre-primary school closures in 2020 may cost today's young children US$ 1.6 trillion in lost earnings over their lifetimes. However, most low-and-middle income countries are leaving pre-primary education out of their responses to COVID-19. This paper also draws lessons from accelerated, bridging, and…

A child should not be brought to formal school setup until he/she is six or seven years old. Before becoming a part of the formal school, a child needs to prepare physically as well as mentally. Therefore, he/she must go through the preschool non-formal education. Preschool education is for two years, i.e., 4-6 years of age. Anganwadi under ICDS…

Making a smooth transition to the K-12 (kindergarten through Grade 12) classroom context sets the stage for academic success throughout the life course. Parents' early education-related behaviors are linked with children's adjustment, yet less is known about how parental school readiness beliefs motivate parenting practices at this educational…

Persisting socioeconomic gaps in school readiness have inspired research examining aspects of the pre-K experience that could reduce these gaps. A strategy that deserves consideration is the socioeconomic diversity of classrooms. In this literature review, we use ecological theory as a framework to present outcomes of socioeconomic diversity in…