ERIC Number: EJ1128904
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017-Feb
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0022-0663
EISSN: N/A
Pre-K Classroom-Economic Composition and Children's Early Academic Development
Miller, Portia; Votruba-Drzal, Elizabeth; McQuiggan, Meghan; Shaw, Alyssa
Journal of Educational Psychology, v109 n2 p149-165 Feb 2017
There are currently 2 principal models of publicly funded prekindergarten programs (pre-K): targeted pre-K, which is means-tested, and universal pre-K. These programs often differ in terms of the economic characteristics of the preschoolers enrolled. Studies have documented links between individual achievement in school-age children and the economic composition of classroom peers, but little research has revealed whether these associations hold in pre-K classrooms. Using data from 2,966 children in 709 pre-K classrooms, we examined whether classroom-economic composition (i.e., average family income, standard deviation of incomes, and percentage of students from low-income households) relates to achievement in preschool. Furthermore, this study investigated whether associations between classroom-economic composition and achievement differed depending on initial academic skill level. Increased economic advantage in pre-K classrooms positively predicted spring achievement. Specifically, increasing aggregate classroom income between $22,500 and $62,500 was related to improvements in math scores. Increases in the proportion of children from low-income households in the classroom were negatively related to both math and literacy and language skills when increases occurred between 52.5% and 72.5% and 25% and 45%, respectively. There was limited evidence that links between classroom-economic composition and achievement differed depending on initial skill level. Results suggest that economically integrated pre-K programs may be more beneficial to preschoolers from low-income households' achievement than classrooms targeting economically disadvantaged children.
Descriptors: Preschool Education, School Demography, Economic Status, Preschool Children, Academic Achievement, Academic Ability, Low Income Students, Family Income, Student Characteristics, Literacy, Language Skills, Mathematics Skills, Achievement Tests, Intelligence Tests, Verbal Ability, Vocabulary, Classroom Environment, Family Characteristics, Regression (Statistics), Statistical Analysis
American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Preschool Education; Early Childhood Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: California; Georgia; Illinois; Kentucky; New York; Ohio; New Jersey; Massachusetts; Texas; Wisconsin; Washington
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Woodcock Johnson Tests of Achievement; Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A