Project Activities
The research team conducted exploratory secondary data analysis with data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010–11 (ECLS-K:2011).
Structured Abstract
Setting
A nationally representative sample of students attending elementary schools in the United States.
Sample
A nationally representative cohort of children who entered kindergarten in the 2010-11 academic school year. The sample was followed for six years, when most of the students were in the fifth grade.
The project examined malleable factors related to school-based Pre-K and its student and school correlates in elementary school. These factors included school-based Pre-K, enrollment patterns from school-based Pre-K into elementary school, teacher collaboration, principal leadership, kindergarten transition practices, and structural features of the early grades (i.e., full day kindergarten and class size).
Research design and methods
The researchers analyzed data from the nationally-representative Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011). The research team conducted descriptive and exploratory secondary data analysis to examine associations between school-based pre-k attendance and student outcomes in kindergarten through fifth grade.
Control condition
This is an exploratory study. There is no control condition.
Key measures
Student-level measures include measures of pre-k attendance, location, student outcomes (e.g., achievement, executive function, social emotional learning), and background characteristics (e.g., SES, race/ethnicity, language spoken at home). School-level moderating variables include measures of teacher collaboration, principal leadership, kindergarten transition practices, and structural features of the early grades (i.e., full-day kindergarten, class size).
Data analytic strategy
The researchers began their study with simple summary statistics and tests of mean differences to describe the phenomenon of school-based Pre-K in the United States. They then examined the association between school-based Pre-K and student outcomes in elementary school using OLS regression models with saturated controls and fixed effects.
Key outcomes
- School-based Pre-K in the United States is a growing phenomenon. About 60 percent of public elementary schools in the United States have a Pre-K grade.
- School-based Pre-K is concentrated in schools that serve more low-income students, students of color, and English language learners.
- School-based Pre-K, relative to center-based Pre-K, is not associated with differences in terms of academic achievement or executive function skills, but it is associated with some social-emotional outcomes (e.g., problem behaviors, approaches to learning). (Little, Gottfried, Cohen-Vogel, & Kim, 2025)
- Students who attend school-based Pre-K are more likely to be identified and have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) in early elementary school than students who attended center-based Pre-K. (Gottfried, Little, Cohen-Vogel, & Kim, 2023)
People and institutions involved
IES program contact(s)
Project contributors
Products and publications
The primary product of this project is a set of studies, reports, and briefs on the topic of school-based pre-k in the United States. The team will also generate a video and podcast summarizing the key project findings. The aim of the project's dissemination plan is to ensure that these products reach educational researchers, policymakers, and practitioners.
Publications:
ERIC Citations: Find available citations in ERIC for this award here.
Gottfried, M., Kim, P., Little, M., Cohen-Vogel, L., & Peters, S. K. (2025). Does the “Where” Matter? School-Based Pre-K versus Center-Based Pre-K and Its Link to Students’ Absenteeism. Early Childhood Education Journal, 1-12.
Gottfried, M., Kim, P., Little, M., & Cohen-Vogel, L. (2025). Does Going to School-Based Prekindergarten Predict Access to Disability Services in Elementary School?. Remedial and Special Education, 07419325251350610.
Little, M., Gottfried, M., Cohen-Vogel, L., & Kim, P. (2026). School- Versus Center-Based Pre-K: Are There Differences in Student Achievement, Executive Function, and Social–Emotional Outcomes? Early Education and Development, 37(1), 166–180. https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2025.2548031
Little, M., & Gragson, A. (2024). Nationally representative evidence on the association between preschool and school-based parental involvement in elementary school. Educational Policy, 38(4), 771-793.
Questions about this project?
To answer additional questions about this project or provide feedback, please contact the program officer.
