Week 6 - Preschool

Question 1

What is Preschool?

Answer 1

School that occurs before mandatory elementary education
• In Canada and the United States, preschool occurs before kindergarten or Grade 1
• Preschoolers are typically aged 3 to 5

Question 2

Head Start

Answer 2

Largest and longest existing preschool program in the US
• Started in 1964 during the War on Poverty
• Provide opportunities to children living in economically disadvantaged circumstances
• “Whole” child model: education, nutrition, medical, dental, and mental health care
• In the United States, 40% of 3-and 4-year-olds in families living below the poverty line attend Head Start

Question 3

Why Do Children Go to Preschool?

Answer 3

• child care

- benefits to children

Question 4

Does Attending Head Start Confer Academic Benefits?

Answer 4

After one year, compared to the control group, children who attended Head Start had:
• Improved literacy skills• Improved writing skills• Improved math skills (3-year-olds only)
• Differences were not big• Eroded with time

Question 5

Do Children Benefit from Attending Preschool?

Answer 5

Cognitive/academically: 
Yes, in the short term
• Over the longer term, it’s not clear
social/behaviourally:
Benefits not as strong as those observed for cognitive/academic outcomes

Question 6

Chicago School Readiness Project

Answer 6

Teachers preschool teachers strategies to manage disruptive behaviors

(1) Have clear rules
(2) Reward positive behavior
(3) Give appropriate consequences for negative behavior

Question 7

Does Going to Preschool Confer Long-Term Benefits?

Answer 7

Both projects have shown investing in children when they were in preschool saves money when they were adults due to:

1. Increased income tax
2. Reduced incarceration
3. Reduced health care costs

Question 8

Who Benefits from Going to Preschool?

Answer 8

• Children in lower-income families

• Dual-language learners (learning English as a second language)