Prekindergarten Program Type and Duration and the Impact on Kindergarten Readiness
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| Publicado en: | ProQuest Dissertations and Theses (2025) |
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| Acceso en línea: | Citation/Abstract Full Text - PDF |
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| Resumen: | The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between prekindergarten program type (regular education, early childhood special education (ECSE), and Title I), program duration (half day versus full day), and kindergarten readiness among students in Missouri public schools. Grounded in behaviorist and psychoanalytic theoretical perspectives, the study analyzed how program structures influence the development of academic and social-emotional skills necessary for school success. Data for 5,852 kindergarten students who attended one of the types of public prekindergarten programs were obtained from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Descriptive statistics summarized demographic and program characteristics. Chi-square tests determined associations between program type, duration, and kindergarten readiness, with Cramer’s V providing the measure of effect size. Logistic regression analyses evaluated the predictive power of program duration on readiness outcomes. Findings revealed significant differences in kindergarten readiness between half-day and full-day programs for regular education and ECSE students. Regular education students who attended half-day programs were significantly more likely to be kindergarten ready than their full-day peers. Similarly, ECSE students in half-day programs showed higher readiness rates than those in full-day programs. Logistic regression analyses confirmed that program duration significantly predicted readiness for both groups, favoring half-day programs. In contrast, no significant relationship was found between program duration and kindergarten readiness for Title I students. These findings challenge assumptions that longer instructional time universally leads to better outcomes and highlights the importance of tailoring program structures to student populations. Implications for practice include reconsidering program length not just as a measure of quantity, but as a lever to maximize instructional quality and student progress. The focus should shift to optimizing student engagement and efficiency over merely extending duration. Future research should investigate long-term academic trajectories and explore additional program characteristics that contribute to kindergarten readiness. |
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| ISBN: | 9798297963832 |
| Fuente: | ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global |