Description:
The purpose of the 2012-2013 Georgia's Pre-K Program Evaluation study was to investigate the effects of participation in the pre-k program on children's school readiness skills. This study utilized a regression discontinuity design (RDD), the strongest type of quasi-experimental research design for examining treatment effects. This study compared two groups of children based on the existing age requirement for the pre-k program: 1) the treated group--children who had completed Georgia's Pre-K Program the previous year and were just entering kindergarten in the study year, and 2) the untreated group--children who were not eligible for Georgia's Pre-K Program the previous year and were just entering pre-k in the study year. Because the families of both groups of children chose Georgia's Pre-K, the two groups were equivalent on many important characteristics; the only difference was whether the child's birth date fell before or after the cut-off date for eligibility for the pre-k program. The primary research questions addressed by this study were: Does participation in Georgia's Pre-K Program improve children's school readiness skills (language, literacy, math, general knowledge, behavior) compared to children who have not attended the program? Are the effects of Georgia's Pre-K Program on school readiness skills similar for different groups of children on the basis of family income, gender, or children's level of English language proficiency? (author abstract)
Resource Type:
Reports & Papers
Country:
United States
State(s):
Georgia