A developmental perspective on full- versus part-day kindergarten and children's academic trajectories through fifth grade.
Children's kindergarten experiences are increasingly taking place in full- versus part-day programs, yet important questions remain about whether there are significant and meaningful benefits to full-day kindergarten. Using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study's Kindergarten Cohort (N= 13,776), this study takes a developmental approach to examining associations between kindergarten program type and academic trajectories from kindergarten (ages 4-6 years) through 5th grade (ages 9-12 years). Full-day kindergarten was associated with greater growth of reading and math skills from fall until spring of kindergarten. Initial academic benefits diminished soon after kindergarten. The fade-out of the full-day advantage is in part explained by differences in the children who attend part- and full-day kindergarten as well as school characteristics.
Votruba-Drzal
Elizabeth
E
Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, 4123 Sennott Square, 210 South Bouquet Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA. evotruba@pitt.edu
Li-Grining
Christine P
CP
Maldonado-Carreño
Carolina
C
D000124:Achievement; D002648:Child; D002656:Child Day Care Centers; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012574:Schools; D013997:Time Factors