School District Kindergarten & Pre-Kindergarten Programs in Washington State
School District Kindergarten & Pre-Kindergarten Programs in Washington State

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Summary

School districts statewide are increasingly using pre-kindergarten and extended or full-day kindergarten programs as strategies to enhance school readiness and close the achievement gap. By analyzing a representative sample of Washington’s 296 school districts, the Economic Opportunity Institute (EOI) found that school districts are using innovative ways to go beyond state-mandated requirements for both pre-kindergarten and kindergarten.

 

See Full Report

Beyond the Mandate: An Analysis of a Survey of School District Early Learning Programs in Washington State (48 pages, 528kb)

 

Introduction

More than 20 years of research validate the critically important role that high-quality early learning has on a child’s school readiness, academic achievement, and lifelong earnings while decreasing juvenile and adult crime. Aware of this research, parents, teachers, educators, administrators, and school boards have begun to develop early learning programs in their school districts to enhance school readiness and close the student achievement gap.

 

In 2002, EOI conducted the first survey of school district efforts during school year 2001-2002 to go beyond state-mandated requirements for pre-kindergarten and half-day kindergarten In 2004, EOI, working with the state’s Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), conducted a follow-up survey for the 2003-2004 school year. The survey instrument, developed jointly by EOI and OSPI, was administered electronically by OSPI at the end of school year. EOI analyzed the data and wrote the report.

 

Methodology

All 296 school districts received the web-based survey with several reminders to complete the survey. By August 13, 2004, OSPI had received 138 responses. These responses closely mirrored the larger group of all school districts in terms of size, geography, number of children on free and reduced lunch, the district’s national percentile rank on the 3rd grade Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS), and minority enrollment.

 

In the web-based survey, the following program information was collected about each school district’s programs:

  • A description of the kindergarten and pre-kindergarten programs in each district.

  • The number and percentage of children served by each program.

  • Program funding information.

  • Program evaluation information.

  • Indication of unmet demand and plans for expansion.

In addition, each survey had a space for comments. From the list of respondents, EOI conducted a follow-up phone survey with twenty school districts (14% of respondents). The phone survey differed from the web-based survey in these ways: additional information was gathered on transition-to-kindergarten programs and extended learning programs; districts that reported a change in program offerings from the previous survey were asked about the reasons behind that change; and district administrators were given the opportunity to respond to open-ended questions about their programs, resources, staffing, and decision-making processes.

 

The information collected to date in this survey is by no means complete or static. Additions and corrections from local school districts would be greatly appreciated and can be sent to survey@eoionline.org.

 

Definitions

For the purposes of this research, the following definitions of school district pre-kindergarten and kindergarten programs were used:

  • Pre-kindergarten: Programs serving children of pre-kindergarten age, usually defined as three- to five-year-olds. Pre-kindergarten programs are generally distinguished from childcare programs by having a focus on school readiness rather than custodial care. The school district pre-kindergarten programs are activities that are in addition to the special education services that school districts are required by law to provide to children with disabilities starting at age 3.

  • Half-day kindergarten or equivalent: The state’s Basic Education Act requires school districts to provide 180 half days of instruction, or equivalent, in kindergarten (RCW 28A.150.220). Some districts meet this requirement by providing 180 half days; others by providing 90 full days or some other variation that is the equivalent of 180 half days.

  • Full-day kindergarten or extended program: An extended or full-day kindergarten program has instructional hours in excess of the state requirement of 180 half days or equivalent of instruction. A full-day program was defined as an entire school day of kindergarten, five days per week, for the purpose of the survey.

Data Sources

Data on enrollment, students eligible for the free and reduced-price lunch, the district’s national percentile rank on the 3rd grade Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) administered in Spring 2004, and percent minority students enrolled was obtained from the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).

 

Resources

  • Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
     OSPI is the primary agency charged with overseeing K-12 education in Washington State. Led by State School Superintendent Dr. Terry Bergeson, OSPI works with the state’s 296 school districts to administer basic education programs and implement education reform on behalf of more than one million public school students.

    • To access school district websites, visit the OSPI Data Administration school district link listing.
  • Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development
    CTED is responsible for administering a statewide system of comprehensive early childhood education and assistance services to support the healthy development and future success of less advantaged children. The Early Childhood Education Assistance Program (ECEAP) is designed for four-year old children whose family incomes are at or below 110 percent of the federal poverty level. ECEAP operates locally through 33 contractors - school districts, educational service districts, local governments, nonprofit organizations, childcare providers, community colleges, and tribal organizations -- and has 231 program sites statewide.
    •

  • League of Education Voters Foundation
    LEV educates the public about Washington State education issues including information concerning school funding.

  • Education Commission of the States
    An interstate compact on education begun in the 1960s. ECS is a source of information on many education topics, including state initiatives and policies.

    •

  • National Institute for Early Education Research
    NIEER supports early childhood education initiatives by providing objective, nonpartisan information based on research. The institute offers independent research-based advice and technical assistance to four primary groups: policy makers, journalists, researchers, and educators.

Acknowledgements

The Economic Opportunity Institute gratefully acknowledges the support of the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Foundation for Child Development which, through its Mapping the PK-3 Continuum (MAP) initiative, supports the restructuring of pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and grades 1 to 3 into a well-aligned first level of public education for children ages three to eight in the United States.

 

John Burbank, Executive Director, EOI, and Laura Paskin, Communications Director, EOI, contributed to the final report. Peter Bylsma, Director, Research/Evaluation/Accountability, OSPI, provided valuable assistance in the design of the survey.

 

Updated:  December 05, 2008

Economic Opportunity Institute (EOI)
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