Summary

The National Center for Education Statistics has collected extensive information on grades 1-12 and postsecondary education for several decades and, through the Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey, Kindergarten Class of 1998-99, has more recently begun to collect information on the characteristics of kindergarten classes nationwide.

The Survey of Classes That Serve Children Prior to Kindergarten in Public Schools, undertaken by NCES using its Fast Response Survey System, was the first national data collection that focused exclusively on classes offered by U.S. public elementary schools⁴¹ for children prior to kindergarten. Findings from this study complement our understanding of the educational structure and programs across the entire spectrum from preschool through postsecondary levels.

This survey is the first to characterize public elementary school prekindergarten classes nationwide. Results from the survey provide information on the public schools that offered prekindergarten classes and describe characteristics of prekindergarten children and their teachers. For example, there were about 19,900 public elementary schools (35 percent) with prekindergarten classes during the 2000- 2001 school year (Table 1); 28 percent of all public elementary schools offered general education prekindergarten classes, and 15 percent offered special education prekindergarten classes (Table 2). During the 2000-2001 school year, approximately 822,000 children were enrolled in public elementary school prekindergarten classes (Table 4). As of October 1, 2000, 3 percent of these children were younger than 3 years, 20 percent were 3 years, 68 percent were 4 years, and 9 percent were 5 years or older (Figure 2). Fortynine percent of the children were White, 24 percent were Hispanic, and 23 percent were Black (Table 6). Asian and American Indian/Alaska Native children represented 3 and 2 percent of the prekindergarten population, respectively (Table 6). Additional information from the study describes the number of prekindergarten children who were LEP, the number who were low income, and the number with IEPs.

Approximately 58,500 prekindergarten classes were offered in regular and special education public elementary schools during the 2000-2001 school year (Table 8). Overall, public elementary schools that offered prekindergarten classes averaged 2.9 prekindergarten classes per school (Table 10). On average, there were 14 children enrolled in each class (Table 11). Sixty-seven percent of the prekindergarten classes were general education classes, and 33 percent were special education classes (Table 9). Nationwide, public elementary schools averaged two general education prekindergarten classes and one special education prekindergarten class (Table 10).

The survey also collected information on the length of the school day and number of days per week that prekindergarten classes were offered in public schools. Thirty-two percent of the classes were full-day classes, and most (84 percent) of these full-day classes met 5 days per week (Table 12). Sixty-eight percent of the prekindergarten classes were half-day classes; 51 percent of these half-day classes met 5 days per week (Table 12). Nearly 46,000 public school teachers taught prekindergarten classes in public schools during the 2000-2001 school year (Table 13). Eighty-six percent of the teachers had a bachelor's or higher degree (Table 14). The majority (82 percent) of public elementary school prekindergarten teachers were paid using the elementary school teacher pay scale for their districts, although the likelihood varied by school size, locale, region, and poverty concentration (Table 14).

Of the 19,900 public elementary schools with prekindergarten classes, 79 percent indicated that prekindergarten children received transportation services, 74 percent provided meals to prekindergarten children, and 18 percent provided extended day care (Table 15). The likelihood that schools reported prekindergarten children receiving transportation services varied by school size, locale, region, percent minority enrollment, and poverty concentration. The likelihood of providing meals was higher in the Southeast than in other regions and also varied by percent minority enrollment and poverty concentration. Schools that offered full-day prekindergarten classes only were more likely to provide extended day care services to prekindergarten children than schools that offered half-day classes only. In addition to indicating whether they provided these support services to prekindergarten children, the public schools reported the number of prekindergarten children who received each service. Study results show that 52 percent of prekindergarten children received transportation services, 64 percent received meals, and 5 percent participated in extended day care programs (Table 16).

Dissimilarities between prekindergarten classes become evident when examined by various public school characteristics. For example, differences appear between prekindergarten classes in city schools and rural/small town schools, and between schools in different regions. Traditional aspects of prekindergarten classes (e.g., targeting lowincome and disabled children) may contribute to the apparent relationships between public school characteristics and the relationships reported below.

Comparisons of public school prekindergarten classes in city schools with those in rural/small town schools show the following differences:

• A higher percentage of city schools (45 percent) offered prekindergarten classes than did rural/small town schools (34 percent). City schools also were more likely to offer general education prekindergarten classes (37 percent) than were rural/small town schools (26 percent) (Table 2).
• The composition of public elementary school prekindergarten enrollment was more racially and ethnically diverse in city schools than in rural/small town schools (Table 6). In city schools, 28 percent of the prekindergarten children were White, 35 percent were Hispanic, and 33 percent were Black. In contrast, in rural/small town schools, 74 percent of the children were White, 10 percent were Hispanic, and 12 percent were Black.
• The percentage of prekindergarten children who were LEP was higher in city schools than in rural/small town public elementary schools (22 versus 6 percent, respectively) (Table 7).
• The average prekindergarten class size was lower in rural/small town public elementary schools than in city public elementary schools (13 versus 15 children per class, respectively) (Table 11).
• Prekindergarten teachers in city schools (91 percent) were more likely to have a bachelor's or higher degree than were prekindergarten teachers in rural/small town schools (83 percent) (Table 14). The city school prekindergarten teachers also were more likely to be paid using the elementary school teacher pay scale for their districts than were rural/small town prekindergarten teachers (87 percent compared with 79 percent) (Table 14).
• Rural/small town schools were more likely than city schools to report that prekindergarten children received transportation services (91 percent versus 60 percent) (Table 15).

Comparisons between public school prekindergarten classes in different regions showed differences as well. For example:

• A higher percentage of schools in the Southeast (46 percent) offered prekindergarten classes than did schools in the West (35 percent), and also were more likely to offer general education prekindergarten classes (37 percent versus 28 percent, respectively) (Table 2). In addition, 23 percent of schools in the Southeast offered special education prekindergarten classes, compared with 14 percent of schools in the West.
• The racial and ethnic composition of public elementary school prekindergarten enrollment in the Southeast was different than in the West (Table 6). In the Southeast, 9 percent were Hispanic and 38 percent were Black. In the West, 47 percent of the children were Hispanic and 13 percent were Black.
• In public elementary schools in the West, 30 percent of the prekindergarten children were LEP, compared with 7 percent in the Southeast (Table 7).
• Schools in the Southeast were more likely than schools in the West to report that prekindergarten children received transportation services and meals (Table 15). Eightynine percent of schools in the Southeast reported that prekindergarten children received transportation services, whereas 71 percent of schools in the West reported that children received this service. Ninety-six percent of schools in the Southeast offered meals, compared with 76 percent of schools in the West.

Public school prekindergarten class characteristics also varied by school poverty concentration. For this survey, school poverty concentration was based on the number of students eligible to receive free or reduced-price lunch. Examples of differences between schools at two levels of poverty-schools with the highest poverty concentration (75 percent or more students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch) and schools with the lowest poverty concentration (less than 35 percent of students eligible)-include the following:

• A higher percentage of schools with the highest level of poverty (51 percent) offered prekindergarten classes than did schools with the lowest level of poverty (25 percent) (Table 2). Schools with the highest poverty concentration also were more likely to offer general education prekindergarten classes (44 percent) than were schools at the lowest level (16 percent).
• The racial and ethnic composition of public elementary school prekindergarten enrollment in schools with the highest poverty concentration was different from that in schools with the lowest poverty concentration (Table 6). In schools with the highest poverty concentration, 22 percent of the prekindergarten children were White, 39 percent were Hispanic, and 36 percent were Black. In contrast, in schools with the lowest poverty concentration, 79 percent of the children were White, 8 percent were Hispanic, and 7 percent were Black.
• There was a positive relationship between school poverty concentration and the percentage of prekindergarten children who were LEP (Table 7). The percentage of these children ranged from 5 percent in schools with the lowest poverty concentration to 25 percent in schools with the highest poverty concentration.
• The average prekindergarten class size was lower in public elementary schools with the lowest level of poverty than in public elementary schools with the highest level (12 versus 16 children per class, respectively) (Table 11).
• Prekindergarten teachers in schools with the lowest level of poverty (91 percent) were more likely to have a bachelor's or higher degree than were prekindergarten teachers in schools with the highest level (81 percent) (Table 14).
• Schools with the highest level of poverty were less likely than schools with the lowest level of poverty to report that prekindergarten children received transportation services; however, the schools with the highest level of poverty were more likely to provide meals and extended day care services (Table 15). Sixtyfour percent of schools with the highest level of poverty reported that prekindergarten children received transportation services. Eighty-five percent of schools with the lowest level of poverty reported children receiving this service. Ninety-two percent of schools with the highest level of poverty offered meals to their prekindergarten children, compared with 47 percent of schools with the lowest level.

This profile of public elementary school prekindergarten classes nationwide provides important new information on the nature of prekindergarten classes-the number of children enrolled in both general education and special education, the age and racial/ethnic background of the children, the educational background and pay scales of the classroom teachers, and the funding sources for prekindergarten classes. The study was not intended to address their curricula, instructional approaches, or the effect they have on school readiness. Nor was the study designed to gather detailed financial information such as the relative percentages of budget or the support per child provided by specific funding sources. Such topics may be covered in future NCES research.

⁴¹ Public special education and regular elementary and combined schools were included in the study sample. These schools are referred to as public elementary schools throughout this report. See methodology in appendix A for a detailed description of school types.

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