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Boosting school readiness: Should preschool teachers target skills or the whole child?

Author

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  • Jenkins, Jade M.
  • Duncan, Greg J.
  • Auger, Anamarie
  • Bitler, Marianne
  • Domina, Thurston
  • Burchinal, Margaret

Abstract

We use experimental data to estimate impacts on school readiness of different kinds of preschool curricula – a largely neglected preschool input and measure of preschool quality. We find that the widely-used “whole-child” curricula found in most Head Start and pre-K classrooms produced higher classroom process quality than did locally-developed curricula, but failed to improve children's school readiness. A curriculum focused on building mathematics skills increased both classroom math activities and children's math achievement relative to the whole-child curricula. Similarly, curricula focused on literacy skills increased literacy achievement relative to whole-child curricula, despite failing to boost measured classroom process quality.

Suggested Citation

  • Jenkins, Jade M. & Duncan, Greg J. & Auger, Anamarie & Bitler, Marianne & Domina, Thurston & Burchinal, Margaret, 2018. "Boosting school readiness: Should preschool teachers target skills or the whole child?," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 107-125.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecoedu:v:65:y:2018:i:c:p:107-125
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econedurev.2018.05.001
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Chen, Shuangye & Liu, Yanlin & Yang, Jin & Yang, Yuchen & Ye, Xiaoyang, 2023. "Impacts of village preschools on student enrollment and longer-term outcomes: New evidence from the poorest regions in China," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    2. Claire J. McCartan & Jennifer Roberts & Julie‐Ann Jordan, 2023. "Centre‐based early education interventions for improving school readiness: A systematic review," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 19(4), December.
    3. Fidjeland, Andreas & Rege, Mari & Solli, Ingeborg F. & Størksen, Ingunn, 2023. "Reducing the gender gap in early learning: Evidence from a field experiment in Norwegian preschools," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).

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    JEL classification:

    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • J00 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - General
    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General

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