Pre-kindergarten program helping
Georgia kids gain academic ground
at the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies

Aug. 25, 2003

Contact:
Beth Flannigan
(404) 651-3574
bflannigan@gsu.edu

Gary Henry
(404) 651-2343
gthenry@gsu.edu

ATLANTA — Georgia’s investment in its 10-year-old, lottery-funded pre-kindergarten program is paying off by producing better-prepared kindergarteners, according to a new study by Georgia State University researchers.

The new data shows that children who attended pre-k during the 2001-‘02 school year gained ground on their peers across the nation. By the beginning of kindergarten, they made statistically significant gains on four cognitive-development tests, reaching or surpassing the national norms on three. The children also improved in basic skills such as identifying colors, counting and naming numbers.

“Overall, 4-year-olds in Georgia began preschool in 2001 below national norms in language development and cognitive skills,” said lead researcher Gary Henry of Georgia State’s Andrew Young School of Policy Studies.
“The pre-kindergarten program provided consistently high-quality classrooms for these children. As a result, they made progress against the national norms by the beginning of kindergarten.”

Researchers examined 630 4-year-olds attending public and private preschools at three points during the calendar year. The students improved significantly in pre-math, letter and word recognition, vocabulary, and oral expression. They also improved in understanding printed material, comprehending stories and mastering basic skills. Researchers plan to follow the students’ progress for two more years.

“These results provide strong evidence that the groundwork has been laid for these children to be more successful in school,” said Henry. “Other studies have shown that increases in cognitive and language development have payoffs in terms of fewer special education assignments, lower retention rates and higher rates of high-school graduation as well as other benefits after leaving public school.

“We often hear that Georgia’s pre-k program is the model for the nation – this should encourage other states to look even more closely at this model.”

The study also showed:

• New teachers tended to teach higher-quality preschool classes. Teachers who have been out of school longer may need additional training to improve their skills, Henry said.
• When school is in recess during the summer months, children tend to lose a portion of what they’ve learned. Alarmingly, the study shows African-American children lost more ground than other children during the summer. Children need programs that enhance and reinforce their development during the summer, Henry said.
• Georgia’s pre-k program is providing effective early education services to children from economically disadvantaged homes. On 10 of 13 tests and skills ratings, children who attended Georgia’s pre-k program performed better than peers after accounting for individual and family characteristics.
• The high quality of pre-k programs was the primary factor that gave pre-k children a boost when compared to 4-year-olds in private preschool.

View the full report online at www.gsu.edu/sps/publications/2003/earlychildhood.htm.

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