Full-day Preschool increases School Readiness and Attendance

Three and four year olds participating in high-quality pre-school programs are better prepared when they get to kindergarten and beyond. However, most pre-school programs are only part day. A new study looked at whether attending a full day pre-school program is associated with even higher levels of school readiness and fewer absences. “It’s very high quality education in small classes within a community of teachers and parents that are supporting children and their learning.” Dr. Arthur Reynolds and co-authors examined almost 1,000 children from 11 child parent centers attending either full or part day programs during the 2012-2013 school year. Researchers compared language, math, literacy and socio-emotional development skills, along with the rates of attendance and chronic absences. “By offering full-day preschool you’re more than doubling the amount of learning time that goes on during that day. Children in full day were much more likely to be regularly attending programs; there was a significant association with lower rates of chronic absences.” The study appears in the Journal of the American Medical Association.