Finding Rigor Within a Large-Scale Expansion of Preschool to Test Impacts of a Professional Development Program

Achieving high-quality preschool at scale is challenging; to do so likely entails a combination of program standards, teacher qualifications and compensation, on-site quality monitoring, and professional development (PD). This study aims to examine the impact of investments in PD within the context of an expansion of universal preschool in one of the nation’s largest school districts. We leverage the opportunity provided by a “natural experiment” to estimate PD’s effects that embeds an evidence-based math curriculum in interdisciplinary units of study with coaching support on teacher math practices. A total of 95 schools participated in this study (51 treatment and 44 comparison schools). Treatment sites implemented more teacher-led math activities for a longer period compared to control sites. The size and magnitude of the impacts of a curriculum and PD program implemented at scale were comparable to results from studies of small-scale efficacy trials.

Socioeconomic Status, Math Achievement, and Head Start Attendance

Research has shown that socioeconomic status impacts student achievement consistently over time and there have been several suggestions in mediating this effect. Most notably may be preschool attendance, and especially publicly funded programs like Head Start. The nationwide program aims to serve primarily low-income youth, but has been reported to experience major fadeout in the early years of elementary school. Using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study: Kindergarten Cohort 1998-9, this study exhibits the expected and persistent positive effects of SES on student math achievement, as well as the effectiveness of Head Start in mediating this effect and equalizing the opportunity for educational achievement in mathematics. Implications of these findings are discussed in the context of Head Start implementation across the country, and the general need for universal preschool to minimize the effects of SES on long-term academic achievement.