Learning & Development
Research Report
Determinants of Household Participation in Florida’s Voluntary Prekindergarten Program
Date
December 1, 2011
Determinants of Household Participation in Florida’s Voluntary Prekindergarten Program
By Milagros Nores, W. Steven Barnett and Stephanie M. Curenton (2011)
Florida’s Voluntary Prekindergarten Program (VPK) has shown tremendous growth, serving about half of the state’s 4-year-olds in 2005, its first year of operation, and about 66 percent currently. However, the lack of universal participation raises questions about the extent to which program awareness, socio-economic background, or race and ethnic differences affect participation decision making and raises concerns about equity of access to programs. NIEER investigated the determinants of household awareness of and participation in the VPK program.
The Authors
Dr. Milagros Nores is the Co-Director for Research and Associate Research Professor at the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER). With a profound expertise in early childhood evaluation, informing data-driven policy and programming, cost and benefits of early interventions, evaluation design, equity, and English language learners, she has established herself as a leading researcher in the field of early care and education.
W. Steven (Steve) Barnett is a Board of Governors Professor and the founder and Senior Co-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.