Can the benefits of All-Day K be proven?

A reader asked me to reference the studies that explain "WHY" all-day kindergarten is better. The "WHY" is shown in those studies that advocate for it. More time on task allows for deeper understanding. More practice time leads to better mastery. More time allows more ground to be covered.

In short, some studies suggest students learn more, and learn it faster.

I think what he was really looking for was the study that proved without a doubt that all-day kindergarten is best. Such a study does not exist. Some will point to positive results, but none of the studies will declare it "best" in such absolute terms.

The reader suggests that all-day kindergarten is nothing more than "cheap childcare for working parents." Perhaps in his district -- and in some other districts for that matter -- it might be.

But a failure to develop a robust all-day kindergarten curriculum in some districts does not mean that the all-day kindergarten lacks merit. Not all districts are irresponsible or ineffective.

Furthermore, I've said repeatedly that all-day kindergarten needs to be part of an overhaul of the subsequent elementary curriculum so that the benefits of all-day kindergarten are not short-lived.

This is a complex issue, and for every study that recommends all-day kindergarten, there is likely to be on that says it doesn’t matter. But this lack of concensus is of little significance, given that most topics in education have similar disagreements.

There is no way that I -- or anyone -- can “prove” to this reader that in every case all-day kindergarten is the best choice.

I have pasted below some links and commentary I pulled together for someone late last year.

I stand by my opinion that all-day kindergarten would be an improvement to our education system.

==> Mike.


------------------------------------------------

This was discussed last year in Michigan.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/2006-SB-1306

The AFT liked the Senate bill:
http://aftmichigan.org/files/kindergarten.pdf

--------------------------------------------------
http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/244785/

Nationwide, the percentage of full-day programs has grown from about 25 percent in 1984 to 60 percent in 2001, and likely more by now. The trend, if anything, is accelerating. Half-day kindergarten is so unpopular in northern New Jersey that many families hold their kids out of the public schools or send them to private full-day kindergarten programs. A glance at news reports shows that in recent weeks pressure has mounted for such programs in Michigan, North Dakota, Illinois, Ohio, Minnesota, Connecticut, Washington, Nebraska and Kansas.

Longer classes include more instruction, which is meant to give kids a boost in reading, math and other academic skills. Advocates haul out various studies indicating that all-day kindergarten helps children, especially those from lower-income families, learn more and faster.

We're skeptical. Research going back seven decades suggests that any advantage of early education disappears later on. Earlier this year, for example, the Goldwater Institute in Arizona found that any boost kids received from preschool and kindergarten programs had vanished by the fifth grade.

"This report demonstrates that all-day kindergarten is not an education reform strategy that policymakers can hang their hats on," said Darcy Olsen, president of the institute. "All-day 'k' delivers short-term benefits at best."

[AGAIN, I BELIEVE THIS “SHORT TERM” ARGUMENT IGNORES THE FACT THAT SCHOOLS DON’T ADJUST THEIR CURRICULUM IN GRADES 1-5. – mjr]
--------------------------------------------------------

There is apparently some paper referenced here that would be worth tracking down:

http://www.azcentral.com/families/education/articles/0103poll-education03.html

He points to a 2004 paper that McMaster University Assistant Professor Philip DeCicca wrote while at the University of Michigan. DeCicca analyzed data from the U.S. Department of Education and found that although all-day kindergarten pupils see education gains, those strides may be temporary, especially for minority children. After a few years, some minority children who attend all-day kindergarten do worse than their half-day counterparts, DeCicca's paper suggests.

Napolitano's office argues that the vast majority of data support the positive benefits of full-day kindergarten, though all-day kindergarten isn't a magic bullet, acknowledged Becky Hill, the governor's education adviser.

"There will never be one thing that will make all children better learners," she said. "It's intended to be one piece of a better system."

[MS. HILL HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD WITH THE “JUST ONE PIECE” POINT – mjr]

---------------------------------------

Here's something from NCES:

http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2006031

March, 2006
"Spending more time on subject and working within a full-day kindergarten structure were found to be associated with relatively large gains in achievement."

From ERIC:

http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/Home.portal_nfpb=true&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=Full+Day+Kindergarten&searchtype=keyword&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=kw&_pageLabel=RecordDetails&objectId=0900019b8015f0d5&accno=EJ749462&_nfls=false

Using longitudinal data, I estimate the impact of full-day kindergarten on standardized test scores in mathematics and reading, as children progress from kindergarten to first grade. I find that full-day kindergarten has sizeable impacts on academic achievement, but the estimated gains are short-lived, particularly for minority children. Given the additional expense of full-day kindergarten, information regarding the size and duration of gains should be of great interest to policy makers.

[AGAIN, THE "SHORT-LIVED GAINS" COULD EASILY BE EXPLAINED BY A LACK OF ADJUSTMENT IN SUBSEQUENT YEARS -- mjr]

----------------------------------------

A tough "anti" full day K article from The Mackinac Center:

http://www.educationreport.org/pubs/mer/article.aspx?ID=8835

---------------------------------------------------

Some Michigan Full Day Kindergarten Programs:

http://www.aaps.k12.mi.us/aaps.forparents/ins.k_options/full_day_kindergarten
http://www.bcreek.k12.mi.us/
http://www.albion.edu/pleiad/Fall_2007/issue07/community/community1.asp

http://www.farmington.k12.mi.us/curriculum/fulldayk.php

Conclusions and Recommendations
The All Day Kindergarten Program at William Grace Elementary School has substantially increased tests scores, met the academic and social needs of students, has the overwhelming support of parents, and has the potential to generate additional revenue for the district by attracting additional students to the district. Therefore, it is recommended the program be continued at William Grace. If the district has sufficient resources, the program should be expanded to other schools, particularly those with the greatest needs based on the research that was reviewed.

--------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0309/p01s03-ussc.html?s=u

from the March 09, 2005 edition
Across the country many districts are fighting to retain and boost full-day programs even as budgets grow tighter. Last year, the Los Angeles Unified School District, the nation's second-largest, voted to expand full-day kindergarten programs. Maryland school systems are mandated to have full-day kindergarten by the 2007-2008 school year. And in Oklahoma, Gov. Brad Henry has pushed an initiative to fund $114 million for a school-improvement initiative that includes all-day kindergarten.

----------------------------------------

http://www.hometownsource.com/2005/November/1nathan.html

It appears the website here has some missing text, but here is what is says: The new study will be published in February and was discussed on the front page of the non-partisan, well-respected Education Week, October 19. Researchers used data from a nationally representative sample of about 8,000 students.
The authors are from the University of Michigan, University of Oregon in Eugene, and Chicagoís Erikson Institute.

[THIS LINK DOESN'T SAY MUCH, BUT IT IS A PLACEHOLDER TO REMIND ME -- OR SOMEONE! -- TO LOOKUP THE EDUCATION WEEK ARTICLE -- mjr]

--------------------------------------

A bit dated, but contains some data:
http://ceep.crc.uiuc.edu/poptopics/fullday.html


----------------------------------------------

Negative parent reaction:
http://www.ibabuzz.com/education/2007/07/23/full-day-kindergarten-should-it-be-mandatory-in-oakland/


-------------------------------------------

A bit dated, but still relevent from the National Association of Elementary School Principals
http://www.naesp.org/ContentLoad.do?contentId=193
There is an impressive amount of research supporting full-day kindergarten’s benefit to students academically, socially, and emotionally. Principals agree.