Date of Award
6-26-2024
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Educational Leadership, Ed.D.
First Advisor
Topeka Singleton
Committee Members
Jacques Singleton; Michael Wesolek
Call Number
LD 251 .A566d 2024 C66
Abstract
It is extremely beneficial for students to attend an effective prekindergarten program prior to their kindergarten year of school. The problem that was addressed in this study is that even though the United States offers many types of prekindergarten programs such as private, public, and Head Start, it is still not known which program is most beneficial to a student entering kindergarten. The United States does not currently offer a universal prekindergarten in all states; therefore, each prekindergarten program may not be as effective as they should. The framework for this study is based off early theorists Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky and their idea that children learn best through play. Prekindergarten and Kindergarten teachers completed a questionnaire and interview to provide their perceptions of the characteristics that make prekindergarten effective. MAP scores were also used to determine the effectiveness of private, public, and Head Start prekindergarten. After completing the research, private prekindergarten programs that incorporate play through learning will be most effective in preparing students for kindergarten. Thus, it is important to invest more resources in prekindergarten to close achievement gaps across the nation and to ensure they are effective at preparing students. Keywords: Head Start, Private School Prekindergarten, Public School Prekindergarten, Kindergarten Readiness
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Comeaux, Brianna Brasseaux, "Private, Public, and Head Start Prekindergarten Programs and Their Effect on Kindergarten Readiness Scores" (2024). Student Theses and Dissertations. 72.
https://arch.astate.edu/all-etd/72
