Making the Most of Kindergarten
Present Trends and Future Issues in the Provision of Full-day Programs
March 1, 2005
By Debra J. Ackerman, W. Steven Barnett, and Kenneth B. Robin
NIEER Policy Report (March 2005)
Summary
Policymakers considering the shift to full-day kindergarten should take into account what the research says about the benefits to children of full-day schedules and what it takes in terms of resources to make sure the change produces the desired results. Though full-day kindergarten has been shown to provide gains in learning outcomes over half-day for children from all backgrounds, disadvantaged children benefit most.
This policy report examines academic and social outcomes of half-day versus full-day kindergarten and trends in provision of full-day programs.
Recommendations include balancing anticipated gains from expanding kindergarten schedules against cost considerations and developing classroom and teacher support strategies when moving to full-day.
The Authors
W. Steven (Steve) Barnett is a Board of Governors Professor and the founder and Director of the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) at Rutgers University. Dr. Barnett’s work primarily focuses on public policies regarding early childhood education, child care, and child development.