27 December 2010
A paper presented at the National Invitational Conference of the Critical Issues in Cost Effectiveness in Children’s First Decade Friday, December 7 and Saturday, December 8, 2007 | Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis | Early Childhood Research Collaborative | University of Minnesota Center for Early Education and Development and the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis | Human Capital Conference Series on Early Childhood Development
This study investigates the educational effects of state funded prekindergarten education for children at ages three and four that came about as a result of a unique situation. As part of the landmark New Jersey Supreme Court school-funding case, Abbott v. Burke 1999-2000 school year, 3- and 4- year old children in the highest poverty districts in the state were able to receive a high-quality preschool education that would prepare them to enter school with the knowledge and skills necessary to meet the New Jersey Preschool Teaching and Learning Expectations: Standards of Quality (NJ Department of Education, 2004b) and the Kindergarten New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards (NJDOE, 2004a). Through a Department of Education (DOE) and Department of Human Services(DHS) partnership, Abbott preschool classrooms combine a DOE-funded six-hour, 180-day component with a DHS-funded wrap-around program that provides daily before- and after-care and summer programs. In total, the full-day, full-year program is available 10 hours per day, 245 days a year.
To read the rest of the study, click here.
