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This article was originally published as the Executive Summary of the Statistical Analysis Report of the same name. The sample survey data are from the Fast Response Survey System (FRSS). | |||
Research on the relationship between childrens early care and education and school readiness has shown the potential importance of enriching learning experiences for young children and, in particular, the positive outcomes of early intervention for educationally disadvantaged children (Love, Schochet, and Meckstroth 1996; Barnett 1995; Haskins 1989). In fact, the National Research Council suggests that a finding that young children who are at risk of school failure have a greater likelihood of success if they attend high-quality early childhood programs seems to emerge across studies of early care and education (Bowman, Donovan, and Burns 2001). In recent years, renewed attention has focused on the role that public schools might play in providing high-quality programs for prekindergarten children (Saluja, Early, and Clifford 2001; Hinkle 2000). Educators and policymakers have considered the possibility of public schools drawing upon existing resources to expand and improve prekindergarten programs and thereby help prepare young children for school (Dwyer, Chait, and McKee 2000; Hinkle 2000). Unfortunately, data on the role public schools play in providing early childhood education are limited and are sometimes clouded by a lack of common terminology. Most of the available data do not differentiate public school programs from other early childhood education programs; the data often include programs offered by private schools, public and private day care centers, and Head Start classes operating outside of the public school system. In response to the lack of current data on public elementary school prekindergarten programs, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) used its Fast Response Survey System (FRSS) to conduct the Survey of Classes That Serve Children Prior to Kindergarten in Public Schools, FRSS 78, 2001. The survey gathered information on characteristics of prekindergarten classes to answer questions such as the following:
Public schools with prekindergarten classes During the 200001 school year, there were about 19,900 public elementary schools with prekindergarten classes. This represents 35 percent of all regular and special education public elementary schools in the country (figure A). Results from the 2001 FRSS survey indicate the following:
NOTE: Data presented in this figure are based on the estimated number of public elementary schools56,400. Special education classes are classes prior to kindergarten that serve only children with Individualized Education Programs. General education classes are all other classes primarily for 3- or 4-year-oldsgeneral and combined/inclusive prekindergarten, Title I prekindergarten, Head Start classes that are part of a program administered by the school district, and any other classes primarily for 3- or 4-year-olds prior to kindergarten. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Fast Response Survey System, Survey of Classes That Serve Children Prior to Kindergarten in Public Schools, FRSS 78, 2001. (Originally published as figure 1 on p.11 of the complete report from which this article is excerpted.)
Prekindergarten children in public schools Responses to the survey revealed that approximately 822,000 children, categorized as younger than 3, 3 years old, 4 years old, and 5 or older, were enrolled in public elementary school prekindergarten classes. As of October 1, 2000, 20 percent of the children were 3-year-olds and 68 percent were 4-year-olds. Larger percentages of children enrolled in special education prekindergarten classes were younger than 3, 3 years old, or 5 or older, compared with those in general education prekindergarten classes. The survey also asked about the racial and ethnic background of public school prekindergarten children.3 About half (49 percent) of the children were White, 24 percent were Hispanic, 23 percent were Black, 3 percent were Asian, and 2 percent were American Indian/Alaska Native. Nationwide, 61 percent of all public school students were White, 17 percent were Hispanic, 17 percent were Black, 4 percent were Asian, and 1 percent were American Indian/Alaska Native.4 Other findings on the racial and ethnic background of public school prekindergarten children include the following:
For this survey, public school officials were asked to report the number of LEP prekindergarten children, low-income prekindergarten children, and prekindergarten children with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) in their schools. Findings from the FRSS survey show the following:
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Table A. Percent of all public elementary school prekindergarten children who were limited English proficient, percent who were low income, and percent with Individualized Education Programs, by selected school characteristics: 200001
#Rounds to zero. 1Or English language learners. 2Eligible for free or reduced-price lunch benefits. 3Includes children in special education and general education classes. NOTE: Data presented in this table are based on the estimated number of schools with at least one prekindergarten class19,900. Data on the number of prekindergarten children with limited English proficiency were not reported for 8 cases in the sample. Data on the number of prekindergarten children eligible for free or reduced-price lunch were not reported for 44 cases in the sample. Data on the number of prekindergarten children with Individualized Education Programs were not reported for 1 case in the sample. Percent minority enrollment was missing for 11 cases and percent of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch was missing for 7 cases in the sample. Those cases were included in the totals and in analyses by other school characteristics. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Fast Response Survey System, Survey of Classes That Serve Children Prior to Kindergarten in Public Schools, FRSS 78, 2001. (Originally published as table 7 on p. 22 of the complete report from which this article is excerpted.) |
Prekindergarten classes in public schools During the 200001 school year, about 58,500 prekindergarten classes were offered in U.S. public elementary schools. About two-thirds (67 percent) of these classes were general education classes; 33 percent were special education classes. Study results also indicate the following:
Prekindergarten teachers in public schools School officials were asked to report the number of teachers who taught prekindergarten during the 200001 school year. In addition, they were asked to provide basic information on the teachers educational backgrounds and the pay scale used to determine their salaries. Results of the FRSS survey indicate the following:
Support services offered to prekindergarten children in public schools Public elementary school prekindergarten children and their families receive various support services. The survey asked about three of these services: transportation, meals,13 and extended day care. The survey asked schools to report the number of prekindergarten children who received each service during the 200001 school year. The study findings indicate the following:
Prekindergarten funding sources in public schools Public elementary schools use a variety of funding sources to support prekindergarten classes. The survey gathered information on the use of various sources: state or local education funds; federal or local programs for children with disabilities; Title I, Part A; Head Start; child care funds through a state or local agency; and Title I, Part B. Study findings indicate that 80 percent of public elementary schools used state or local education funds and 51 percent used funds from federal or local programs for children with disabilities. The likelihood that schools used the latter source was higher in rural/small town schools (56 percent) than in city schools (42 percent). Receipt of Title I, Part A funds for prekindergarten classes was reported by 25 percent of public elementary schools with prekindergarten classes, and 13 percent reported receipt of Head Start funds. Eleven percent of schools used child care funds through a state or local agency for prekindergarten classes, and 4 percent used Title I, Part B funds.
In conclusion, the results from this survey offer an overview of public school prekindergarten classes in the United States. During the 200001 school year, approximately 822,000 children were enrolled in 58,500 public elementary school prekindergarten classes nationwide. These classes were offered in about 19,900 public elementary schools, roughly one-third of public elementary schools in the country. Approximately 45,900 prekindergarten teachers instructed these classes. Many characteristics of the prekindergarten classes varied by school characteristics (including school size, locale, region, percent minority enrollment, and poverty concentration). The findings from this FRSS survey provide unique and important contextual information on public elementary schools with prekindergarten classes and the children who are enrolled in those classes.
Footnotes
1 School size is defined as small (enrollments of less than 300 students), midsized (300 to 599 students), and large (600 or more students). 2 Poverty concentration is based on the number of students eligible to receive free or reduced-price lunch. The categories used in this report are less than 35 percent of students eligible, 35 to 49 percent eligible, 50 to 74 percent eligible, and 75 percent or more eligible. 3 Race and ethnicity were reported on the questionnaire using five categories: American Indian/Alaska Native; Asian; Black, non-Hispanic; Hispanic; and White, non-Hispanic. To improve readability, the following labels are used throughout the remainder of this report: American Indian/Alaska Native; Asian; Black; Hispanic; and White. 4 Information for all public school students is based on unpublished tabulations from the following NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) data file: CCD Public Elementary/Secondary School Universe Survey: School Year 200001 (NCES 2002362), available at http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2002362. Data are based on all public regular and special education, vocational education, and alternative education schools. 5 See footnote 4. 6 See footnote 4. 7 See footnote 4. 8 For this study, these children were defined as those whose native or dominant language is other than English, and whose skills in listening to, speaking, reading, or writing English are such that he/she derives little benefit from school instruction in English. 9 For this study, these children were defined as those eligible to receive free or reduced-price lunch under the National School Lunch Program. 10 Information for all public school students is based on unpublished tabulations from the following NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) data file: Local Education Agency Universe Survey: School Year 200001 (NCES 2002360), available at http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2002360. 11 See footnote 10. 12 Among the sampled schools responding to this survey, the average number of children per prekindergarten class ranged from 2 to 48 for general education classes. For special education classes, the average ranged from 2 to 35 children per prekindergarten class. 13 Schools were instructed to exclude snacks.
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