Study Finds Full-Time Preschool Better Prepares Kids for Kindergarten
Published at
iStock/Thinkstock(MINNEAPOLIS) — Full-time preschool is better than part-time when it comes to preparing children for kindergarten, according to a study by the University of Minnesota.
Researchers at the university’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs tested one thousand 3- and 4-year-olds enrolled in preschool programs affiliated with 11 Chicago schools to compare students who attended preschool seven hours a day to those who attended three-hour programs.
They found 81 percent of the all-day preschoolers were ready socially and academically to enter kindergarten, compared to 59 percent of students enrolled in the half-day program.
The study also found that daily attendance rates for all-day preschool kids were better than those in part-time programs.
Arthur Reynolds, the study’s lead author, suggests that attendance rates are better for full-timers because parents feel more invested in the program.
Reynolds says the overall conclusion is clear — students who spend more time in preschool learn more.
“You can go much farther in not only the math side, but language and literacy, reading and drawing and science,” says Reynolds.
Follow @ABCNewsRadio
Copyright 2014 ABC News Radio