Author: Dale C. Farran
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 7
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Book Description
Interest in scaling up prekindergarten programs for children from low income families is dramatically increasing, especially with the announcement by President Obama of support for "universal preschool." Research in early education supports the idea of developmentally appropriate practice as reflected in instructional groupings and covered content; however, it is not yet clear if such appropriate practice and consistency in that practice can be upheld in a statewide program. This paper focuses on evidence from one portion of the Tennessee Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten Program (TN-VPK) evaluation from which classroom observations yield information on classroom quality state-wide. One table is appended.
Author: Kerry G. Hofer
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 7
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Book Description
This paper presents evidence on the amount of classroom variation in gains across various domains of achievement within the Tennessee Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (TN-VPK) program; the data are taken from the randomized control trial (RCT) design of the TN-VPK evaluation. This study explores areas where those differences are largest, and offers speculations about possible causes of these differences. The full randomized sample included children from 111 randomized school applicant lists in 28 districts across Tennessee. The consented subsample of that group came from 76 applicant lists in 58 schools from 21 districts. Ten of those 58 schools were in the West region of the state, 24 were in the Central West region, 12 were in the Central East region, and 12 were in the East. Children were individually assessed using the set of Woodcock Johnson III achievement tests (Letter-Word Identification, Spelling, Understanding Directions, Applied Problems, Quantitative Concepts, Passage Comprehension, and Oral Comprehension). Data presented were analyzed through first calculating each individual child's gain by differencing the beginning and end of pre-k scores on each subscale, and those differences were aggregated to the classroom level for the children who attended VPK. The focus of this paper is not just on mean gain, but on standard deviations and ranges of gain. The amount of gain made during the pre-k year in TN-VPK classrooms varied substantially from classroom to classroom. Correlations of gains across subscales revealed that though classrooms that tended to make more relative gain on one subtest also tended to make relatively more gain on other subtests, the strength of the correlations did not suggest that classrooms making the most gains always made the most gains regardless of subject matter. Tables and figures are appended.
Author: Elena Bodrova
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1040005438
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 283
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Book Description
Now in its third edition, this classic text remains the seminal resource for in-depth information about major concepts and principles of the cultural-historical theory developed by Lev Vygotsky, his students, and colleagues, as well as three generations of neo-Vygotskian scholars in Russia and the West. Featuring two new chapters on brain development and scaffolding in the zone of proximal development, as well as additional content on technology, dual language learners, and students with disabilities, this new edition provides the latest research evidence supporting the basics of the cultural-historical approach alongside Vygotskian-based practical implications. With concrete explanations and strategies on how to scaffold young children’s learning and development, this book is essential reading for students of early childhood theory and development.
Author: Mark W. Lipsey
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 7
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Book Description
Relatively few rigorous studies of the effectiveness of contemporary public prekindergarten programs have been conducted despite the growing number of programs and large monetary investments that accompany them. The study on which this presentation is based was launched in partnership with the Tennessee State Department of Education's Division of School Readiness and Early Learning to provide an assessment of the effects of the statewide Tennessee Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (TN-VPK) program on the readiness for kindergarten of the economically disadvantaged population it serves. TN-VPK has become a controversial program in Tennessee, with some legislators expressing doubts about its value in the context of severe budget shortfalls and still others referring to it even more skeptically as expensive babysitting. This study interleaves a randomized control trial (RCT) design and an age-cutoff regression discontinuity (RD) design to evaluate the effectiveness of the TN-VPK program. Though the project is still underway, this presentation will summarize results from the RCT through first grade. One table is appended.
Author: Edward Zigler
Publisher: Brookes Publishing Company
ISBN: 9781598571837
Category : Curriculum planning
Languages : en
Pages : 0
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Book Description
Targeted or universal pre-K? Direct instruction or learning through play? These and other debates are heating up as more and more young children across the country gain access to pre-K programs. Now there's a single volume that spotlights today's most urgent pre-K debates, explores each one from all sides, and paves the way for sound, educated decision-making. Edited by a founder of Head Start and two other highly respected experts, this forward-thinking book gathers a who's who of more than 40 leading thinkers in early childhood education for a rigorous examination of the most-debated pre-K issues. In a clear and compelling point-counterpoint format, this book gives current and future decision-makers multifaceted perspectives on critical questions; Should pre-K be targeted or universal; what kind of teacher preparation should be required? When should pre-K services be provided and for how long? Whee should pre-K be provided? What should the primary focus of instruction be? Should pre-K be structured around direct instruction or learning through play? How can we ensure quality and accountability in pre-K programs? Readers will also get a helpful synthesis of the major themes of the pre-k debate, investigate lesson learned from model programs in 2 states, and identify ke issues for future research and debate, including polices for English Lanaguage learners and children with special needs.
Author: Mark W. Lipsey
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 4
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Book Description
Relatively few rigorous studies of the effectiveness of contemporary public prekindergarten programs have been conducted despite the growing number of programs and large monetary investments they require. The study on which this presentation is based was launched in partnership with the Tennessee State Department of Education's Division of School Readiness and Early Learning to provide an assessment of the effects of the statewide Tennessee Voluntary Prekindergarten (TN-VPK) program on the readiness for kindergarten of the economically disadvantaged population it serves. Research studies have reported the rapid neurological, cognitive, and social-emotional growth that takes place during the first five years of life and the positive effects of high-quality early childhood educational programs. In recent years, however, TN-VPK has become a controversial program in Tennessee, with some legislators expressing doubts about its value in the context of severe budget shortfalls and still others referring to it even more skeptically as expensive babysitting. This study interleaves a longitudinal randomized control trial (RCT) and an age-cutoff regression discontinuity (RD) design to evaluate the effectiveness of the TN-VPK program. Though the project is still underway, this presentation will summarize results for two cohorts of RCT participants.
Author: Helen F. Ladd
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1135041067
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 693
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Book Description
Sponsored by the Association for Education Finance and Policy (AEFP), the second edition of this groundbreaking handbook assembles in one place the existing research-based knowledge in education finance and policy, with particular attention to elementary and secondary education. Chapters from the first edition have been fully updated and revised to reflect current developments, new policies, and recent research. With new chapters on teacher evaluation, alternatives to traditional public schooling, and cost-benefit analysis, this volume provides a readily available current resource for anyone involved in education finance and policy. The Handbook of Research in Education Finance and Policy traces the evolution of the field from its initial focus on school inputs and revenue sources used to finance these inputs, to a focus on educational outcomes and the larger policies used to achieve them. Chapters show how decision making in school finance inevitably interacts with decisions about governance, accountability, equity, privatization, and other areas of education policy. Because a full understanding of important contemporary issues requires inputs from a variety of perspectives, the Handbook draws on contributors from a number of disciplines. Although many of the chapters cover complex, state-of-the-art empirical research, the authors explain key concepts in language that non-specialists can understand. This comprehensive, balanced, and accessible resource provides a wealth of factual information, data, and wisdom to help educators improve the quality of education in the United States.
Author: Mark W. Lipsey
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 51
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Book Description
In 2009, Vanderbilt University's Peabody Research Institute, in coordination with the Tennessee Department of Education's Division of Curriculum and Instruction, initiated a rigorous, independent evaluation of the state's Voluntary Prekindergarten program (TN- VPK). TN-VPK is a full-day prekindergarten program for four-year-old children expected to enter kindergarten the following school year. The program in each participating school district must meet standards set by the State Board of Education that require each classroom to have a teacher with a license in early childhood development and education, an adult-student ratio of no less than 1:10, a maximum class size of 20, and an approved age-appropriate curriculum. TN-VPK is an optional program focused on the neediest children in the state. It uses a tiered admission process, with children from low-income families who apply to the program admitted first. Any remaining seats in a given location are then allocated to otherwise at-risk children, including those with disabilities and limited English proficiency. The current report presents findings from this evaluation summarizing the longitudinal effects of TN-VPK on pre-kindergarten through third grade achievement and behavioral outcomes for an Intensive Substudy Sample of 1076 children, of which 773 were randomly assigned to attend TN-VPK classrooms and 303 were not admitted. Both groups have been followed since the beginning of the pre-k year.
Author: Michael J. Puma
Publisher: Nova Novinka
ISBN:
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 314
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Book Description
Since its beginning in 1965 as a part of the War on Poverty, Head Start's goal has been to boost the school readiness of low-income children. Based on a 'whole child' model, the program provides comprehensive services that include pre-school education; medical, dental, and mental health care; nutrition services; and efforts to help parents foster their child's development. Head Start services are designed to be responsive to each child's and family's ethnic, cultural, and linguistic heritage. The Congressionally-mandated Head Start Impact Study was conducted across 84 nationally representative grantee/delegate agencies. Approximately 5,000 newly entering 3- and 4-year-old children applying for Head Start were randomly assigned to either a Head Start group that had access to Head Start program services or to a non- Head Start group that could enrol in available community non-Head Start services, selected by their parents. Data collection began in fall 2002 and is scheduled to continue through 2006, following children through the spring of their 1st-grade year. The study quantifies the impact of Head Start separately for 3- and 4-year-old children across child cognitive, social-emotional, and health domains as well as ii on parenting practices. This book is essential reading for those in the education field.
Author: Anna Grehan
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 38
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Book Description
This study examines the first four years of Tennessee's Voluntary Prekindergarten program, directed to four-year-olds eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. It reviews participation levels and trends for the program as a whole, for collaborative partner classrooms, and for student and district subgroups and discusses the geographic distribution of program sites. Key findings include: (1) From 2005/06 to 2008/09, the number of PreK program participants increased from 6,943 to 18,746, the proportion of eligible children participating increased from 18 percent to 42 percent, and the proportion of local education agencies participating increased from 83 percent to nearly 99 percent; (2) The number of participants at collaborative partner classrooms increased from 1,428 (21 percent of all participants) in 2005/06 to 3,621 (19 percent) in 2008/09. Collaborative partner classrooms consistently accounted for approximately 21 percent of total PreK program classrooms; (3) PreK program participation levels and rates increased for all subgroups examined but exhibited varying growth rates across student and district subgroups. The participation rate increased faster for racial/ethnic minority students than for White students. Participation rates among students in special education increased from 8 percent to 32 percent. Large districts had fewer participants and lower participation rates than did small districts. Rural districts had higher levels and rates of participation than did nonrural districts. And the percentage of participants enrolled in collaborative classrooms was higher for racial/ethnic minority students and students in nonrural districts; and (4) The majority of public PreK program sites were in the four major urban areas of Tennessee: Chattanooga, Knoxville, Memphis, and Nashville. Collaborative partner sites were more evenly distributed across rural and nonrural areas. Appended are: (1) Literature review; (2) Background on Tennessee's Voluntary Prekindergarten program; (3) Data sources and methodology; (4) Participation by all four-year-olds in the state; and (5) Maps of public school and collaborative partner sites for Tennessee's Voluntary Prekindergarten program, 2005/06-2008/09. (Contains 3 boxes, 12 figures, 6 tables, 14 maps, and 3 notes.).
