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Early Childhood Programs
1
Running Head: Early Childhood Programs
EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM ATTENDANCE AND THE IMPACT ON A
CHILD’S READING READINESS SKILLS WHEN ENTERING
KINDERGARTEN
By
STACY MASON
Submitted to
The Faculty of the Elementary Education, Self-Contained Classroom
Northwest Missouri State University
Department of Professional Education
College of Education and Human Services
Maryville, MO 64468
Field Study Committee Members
Dr. Phillip E. Messner
Submitted in Fulfillment for the Requirements for
61-683 Research Paper
[Date of approval by the professor]
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ABSTRACT
This study tested early childhood attendance and the impact on a child’s reading
readiness skills when entering kindergarten. Lack of attendance or low attendance at early
childhood programs impacted a student’s DIBELS scores at the beginning of kindergarten. A T-
test was used to test for significant differences between the DIBELS scores of students with
attendance rates of 25% or less and 26-50%, attendance rates 25% or less and more than 50%,
and 26-50% and more than 50%. Early childhood program attendance is significantly related to
DIBELS test scores. This data was collected from a small rural school. Early childhood program
attendance shows a significant difference to DIBELS test scores between students who attend 25
percent or less of early childhood meetings and students who attend 26 to 50 percent of early
childhood meetings (p value=0.012, significance=<.25). Early childhood program attendance
shows a significant difference to DIBELS test scores between students who attend 25 percent or
less of early childhood meetings and students who attend 51-100 percent (p value 0.089,
significance=<.25). Early childhood attendance shows a significant difference to DIBELS test
scores between students who attend 26 to 50 percent of early childhood meetings and 51 to 100
percent of early childhood meetings (p value 0.248, significance=<.25). Further research should
be considered to see if similar results are shown at other small schools as well as larger schools.
Early Childhood Programs
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
ABSTRACT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
LIST OF TABLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . …………. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .3
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ….. . . . . . .5
Background
Conceptual Underpinnings for the Study
Statement of the Problem
Purpose of Study
Research Questions
Null Hypotheses
Anticipated Benefits of Study
Summary
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
National Issues
Missouri Issues
Local Issues
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY . . . . . . ....……16
Problem and Purposes Overview
Field Study Methods
Research Design
Variables Used in the Study
Research Questions
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Study Group
Data Collection and Instrumentation
Data Analysis
Summary
CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Review of Research Design
Presentation of the Data Analysis
Summary
CHAPTER FIVE: OVERVIEW, FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS . . . . . . ..24
Overview
Discussion of Findings
Conclusions and Implications for School Policy
Recommendations for Further Study
Summary
APPENDIXES
REFERENCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. …………………27
VITA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . … . . . . . . . . . . 31
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY
Background
A small rural school in Northwest Missouri offers Early Childhood Programs to all
preschool children ages 3-5 and their parents. This program is an after school program
implemented by the Parents at Teacher director, prekindergarten teacher, and the kindergarten
teacher. The program occurs four to six times per year and offers various activities to prepare
the child for school. In addition to giving the child meaningful experiences for school, parents
also learn what activities they can do at home to prepare their child for school. Attendance to
these programs is voluntary for the students and their parents. There are children and parents
who attend most meetings as well as children and parents who never attend one meeting.
When entering kindergarten, students are given the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early
Literacy Skills (DIBELS) test. Students are scored using research-based, criterion-referenced
scores. The kindergarten teacher has observed that students with low or no attendance to Early
Childhood meetings are often scoring below the benchmark goals of the DIBELS test.
Conceptual Underpinnings for the Study
Research shows that when the parent and teacher are involved in a child’s early childhood
education they are more likely to be prepared to start school (Swick, 2009). Students from a low
socioeconomic background are at higher risk for not being ready for school when entering
kindergarten (Hecht, Burgess, Torgesen, Wagner, & Rashotte, 2000).
. When parents and their children are involved in early childhood education programs
their children are more likely to be ready for kindergarten (Swick, 2009). Students coming to
Early Childhood Programs
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kindergarten without the beginning reading readiness skills are more likely to continue to
struggle with reading in later grades (Hecht et al., 2000).
Statement of the Problem
A kindergarten teacher observed that two students entering kindergarten in the beginning of
the 2011-2012 school year had low DIBELS scores. One student had never attended the early
childhood meetings offered by the school and the other had only attended two meetings. The
teacher was concerned that lack of attendance or low attendance at early childhood programs
impacted a student’s DIBELS scores at the beginning of kindergarten. If students attended early
childhood programs, then they will be better prepared for the beginning reading skills expected
at the beginning of kindergarten.
Purpose of Study
The purpose of this study was to identify if early childhood program attendance had an effect
on reading readiness skills. This was done by identifying the early childhood program
attendance rates of students who entered kindergarten in 2011 and 2012. Students were
categorized into three groups: students who attended 25% or less, students who attended 26-
50%, and students who attended more than 50% of early childhood meetings. These attendance
rates were compared to their beginning kindergarten DIBELS score. The independent variable
was the rate of attendance at early childhood meetings and the dependent variable was the child’s
DIBELS score.
Research Questions
Do students who attend early childhood programs show more reading readiness skills than
those children who do not attend early childhood programs?
Early Childhood Programs
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Null Hypothesis
There is no significant difference in the reading readiness skills of children who attend early
childhood programs and children who do not attend early childhood programs.
Anticipated Benefits of Study
The results of this study could help educate parents to the benefit of participating in early
childhood meetings. If parents could see and understand the benefits of these group meetings,
then they would be more likely to have their child attend meetings or increase their attendance at
these meetings.
Summary
Lack of attendance or low attendance at early childhood programs impacted a student’s
DIBELS scores at the beginning of kindergarten. Some students who came to kindergarten were
not showing reading readiness skills. Many children who were not showing reading readiness
skills were those that did not attend early childhood programs provided by their school. If
students attended early childhood programs, then they would be better prepared for the beginning
reading skills expected at the beginning of kindergarten. The purpose of this study was to
identify if early childhood program attendance had an effect on reading readiness skills. This
was done by identifying the early childhood program attendance rates of students who entered
kindergarten in 2011 and 2012. Students were categorized into three groups: students who
attended 25% or less, students who attended 26-50%, and students who attended more than 50%
of early childhood meetings. These attendance rates were compared to their beginning
kindergarten DIBELS score. The independent variable was the rate of attendance at early
childhood meetings and the dependent variable was the child’s DIBELS score. The research
question being investigated was: Do students who attend early childhood programs show more
Early Childhood Programs
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reading readiness skills than those children who do not attend early childhood programs? The
null hypothesis states that there was no significant difference in the reading readiness skills of
children who attend early childhood programs and children who do not attend early childhood
programs. The results of this study could help educate parents to the benefit of participating in
early childhood meetings. If parents could see and understand the benefits of these group
meetings, then they are more likely to have their child attend meetings or increase their
attendance at these meetings.
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CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
“The National Education Goals panel set a goal that all children should begin school
‘ready to learn’ by the year 2000” (Barbarin et al., 2008, p. 672). Readiness is a term that cannot
be agreed upon by policymakers, educators, and parents (Barbarin et al., 2008), and there is more
than one definition for school readiness. Some readiness ideas include being ready to learn in
school, prediction of school performance, and readiness involving both children and school
(Farran, 2011). With so many different ideas on school readiness parents do not know what to
expect when their children go to school (McIntyre, Eckert, Fiese, DiGennaro, & Wildenger,
2007).
The impacts of a quality early childhood program included: “school readiness, school
success, economic gains, and quality of life advancements” (Swick, 2009, p. 405). Family
involvement in education is important in a child’s education, especially those children who come
from a low socioeconomic status (McIntyre et al., 2007). Early childhood educators should work
to integrate their programs to meet the academic beliefs of some parents and the developmental
beliefs of others (Harding, 2006). Early childhood programs help increase a child’s school
readiness as well as preventing illiteracy (Swick, 2009), and programs that involve parents
during the early childhood years do show an effect on oral language and cognitive ability
(National Institute for Literacy, 2008). Children often demonstrate language patterns learned
from their parents and other caring adults (Albee & Drew, 2000). Two studies cited by Graue,
Clements, Reynolds, and Niles (2004) claim that parental involvement activities in early
childhood education make little difference because there is a lack of quality and outcome
measurements in these programs, but now data is now being collected and used to assess the role
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and importance of early childhood programs (Daily, Burkhauser, & Halle, 2011). Attention is
now being given to successful early childhood programs that manage to close the achievement
gap at the beginning of kindergarten (Daily et al., 2011).
Early childhood programs should address the needs of the children, especially in the
development of literacy skills and include the family as the main component of the program
(Swick, 2009). Early childhood programs should enable parents to create a positive learning
environment for their own home (Swick, 2009). In doing so, early childhood programs can
increase a child’s want to read as well as expose them and their families to technology that may
not be accessible in the home (Albee & Drew, 2000). Early childhood programs also address the
needs of the family by including adult literacy activities that relate to early childhood education
(Swick, 2009). They also provide families with support and resources to engage their preschool
child in literacy activities and promote literacy skills not only for preschool children, but also for
their families (Swick, 2009). Communication between home and school can increase as parents
become more comfortable around the teachers and feel that they can interact with them (Albee &
Drew, 2000). In a study by McIntyre et al. (2007), sixty-eight percent of the parents responding
to a survey wanted to know what they could do to help prepare their child for the transition into
kindergarten.
Children are not able to complete their schoolwork because of the lack of literacy skills.
Nearly one-third of American fourth graders are affected as well as eighth and twelfth graders
(National Institute for Literacy, 2008). Achievement gaps in beginning kindergarten exist in
areas of cognitive and social abilities as well as health status (Daily et al., 2011). Children who
participate in early childhood programs are going to have a higher assessment score on reading
readiness skills including vocabulary and comprehension (Swick, 2009). Reading skills that are
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developed from ages zero through five include: alphabet knowledge, phonological awareness,
rapid automatic naming of letters, rapid automatic naming of objects and colors, writing or
writing name, and phonological memory (National Institute for Literacy, 2008). Children in
Head Start were given assessments at the beginning and end of their year. Even though these
children scored below the national average, they still gained knowledge in the areas of receptive
vocabulary, letter-word knowledge, and applied problems. Letter word knowledge did meet
national averages (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2010). According to Farran
(2011)
While research indicates that children who do not have more readiness skills at
kindergarten entry tend to perform better in school that does not mean that explicitly
teaching those skills in preschool will boost later achievement. The actual processes by
which those children who are ‘ready’ for school learned what they know may not be
known or well understood. (p. 6)
Many alphabet skills are learned when a child is given explicit instruction, but
phonological awareness skills and memory capacity are not skills that can be taught explicitly.
This is one reason that children learn alphabet skills at different rates (McBride-Chang, 1999).
According to Hecht, Burgess, Torgesen, Wagner, and Rashotte (2000), “Kindergartners with
relatively strong phonological awareness skills, before formal reading instruction begins in
school, are more likely to make good reading progress in first grade and beyond” (p. 100).
Children who participate in early childhood programs are more likely to continue to remain on
grade level throughout their educational career (Swick, 2009). “Individual differences in early
levels of print knowledge have been shown to be substantially associated with individual
differences in reading progress in first grade and beyond” (Hecht et al., p. 101). Literacy skills
Early Childhood Programs
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that were moderately correlated to later literacy achievement include: concept of print, print
knowledge, reading readiness, oral language, and visual processing (National Institute for
Literacy, 2008). Children who participate in early childhood programs are more likely to be
successful in their adult life. This includes higher education and increased earning potential
when entering the workforce (Swick, 2009).
With No Child Left Behind there has been an increase in academic expectations in the
Pre-K level including language, early literacy, and motor skills. It is not known if these areas of
academics are deemed important readiness skills by parents (Barbarin et al., 2008). Barbarin et
al. (2008) also report that “results suggest that when parents’ views of readiness emphasize
higher order cognitive skills, children are more likely to achieve in the domains that
policymakers consider important preparation for the academic demands of the kindergarten
classroom for early readiness skills” (p. 693-694). There are three million children enrolling in
kindergarten with different strengths, weaknesses, and needs. Some of this is caused by
development, but a large part of this is caused by socioeconomic status (Daily et al., 2011).
“Average cognitive scores of our nation’s most affluent children are sixty percent higher than
those of our poorest children before they enter kindergarten” (Daily et al., 2011, p. 21).
McIntyre et al., (2007) found that eighty percent of the parents responding to their survey
wanted to know more information about their child’s academic expectations in kindergarten.
Children’s strongest skills are the ones their parents think are important (Barbarin et al., 2008).
Race, ethnicity, and social class are all variables in how a child is prepared for school by his/her
parents (Harding, 2006). A child’s beginning literacy skills correlate with a mother’s education
and a family’s economic status (National Institute for Literacy, 2008). Children’s exposure to
language is believed to be one factor in a child’s readiness for school (Farran, 2011). Depending
Early Childhood Programs
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on a parent’s ethnicity, a child may be prepared for kindergarten based on the belief that they
should be prepared to get along with others, academics, and respect for authority (Harding,
2006). Parents’ beliefs about school readiness will influence how a parent socializes with their
children and also the activities that they choose for their children (Barbarin et al, 2008).
Barbarin et al., (2008), found that parents believed that nominal knowledge was most important.
Children from homes with higher socioeconomic status score better on beginning school reading
measurements than children from homes with a lower socioeconomic status (Hecht et al., 2000).
Socioeconomic status does not make a different in a child’s growth in decoding skills from
kindergarten to first grade, however socioeconomic status does make a difference in a child’s
growth in reading ability in grades kindergarten through fourth grade. It also made a difference
in comprehension skills for children in grades kindergarten through fourth grades (Hecht et al.,
2000). Parents are not the only ones to prepare students, however, and schools must also be
ready to adapt to children with different backgrounds and experiences (Barbarin et al., 2008).
States feel that Early Learning Guidelines are important because they “improve teaching
practices, curriculum, and professional development; educating parents; and guiding decisions
about child assessment practices” (Daily et al., 2011, p. 22). States are developing Early
Learning Guidelines which states when skills and abilities should be demonstrated by a child in a
particular developmental stage (Daily et al., 2011). Head Start is a program that “seeks to
engage parents in their children’s learning and to promote their progress toward their own
educational, literacy, and employment goals” (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
2010, p. 1). The goal of Head Start is to make sure that children are ready for school socially,
emotionally, and cognitively though education through the center and family support (U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, 2010). Children in Missouri school districts who
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participated in Parents as Teachers as well as a preschool program showed positive results in a
child’s school readiness and achievement scores (Parents as Teachers, 2012). The results in
Missouri showed that the achievement gap between children in poverty and children not living in
poverty was reduced (Parents as Teachers, 2012). Head Start showed an increase in conversation
between parents and children such as telling stories, talking about TV programs, learning songs,
playing games, sports, and exercising; and activities outside of the home such as: talking about
family heritage, going to movies and the library, visiting a museum or attending a concert (U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, 2010). Children in Head Start showed an
improvement in social skills, increase in using computers for playing games and other purposes,
a decrease in watching two or more hours of TV per day, and an increase in outdoor play (U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, 2010). Parents involved in Parents as Teacher were
more likely to remain involved in their child’s education and support learning at home, and were
more likely to initiate communication with their child’s teacher, and were more likely to read to
their children (Parents as Teachers, 2012). Children who participated in Parents as Teachers
were more likely to score better on achievement tests in elementary school. “With at least two
years of Parents as Teachers combined with a year of preschool, eighty-two percent of poor
children were ready for school at kindergarten entry” (Parents as Teachers, 2012, p. 1).
“True partnerships between home and school will occur when parents believe that the
schools value their goals and values” (Harding, 2006, p. 236). All programs studied by the
National Institute for Literacy offered different goals and outcomes for children and their
families. This report concluded that further study was needed to determine the type of program
that was most beneficial for families (National Institute for Literacy, 2008). Issues that have
been addressed for more research includes how a family literacy program engage an adult in
Early Childhood Programs
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their child’s school; relationship with adult, child and teacher; and the relationship between the
adult peers in the family literacy group and the effect of peer support among adults in these
groups (Goodling Institute for Research in Family Literacy, 2001). Parent programs studied by
the National Institute for Literacy did not clearly define the types of population that parent
programs helped children. The report concluded that these programs should be offered to all
diverse groups of families, no matter their socioeconomic status, ethnicity, or other variables
(National Institute for Literacy, 2008). Research is also needed to determine if it is more
beneficial to target the parent or the child in family literacy programs (Goodling Institute for
Research in Family Literacy, 2001). The early childhood field needs to examine what
experiences cause students who are ready for kindergarten to build the necessary skills.
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CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Purposes and Overview
A kindergarten teacher observed that two students entering kindergarten in the beginning of
the 2011-2012 school year had low DIBELS scores. One student had never attended the early
childhood meetings offered by the school and the other had only attended two meetings. The
teacher was concerned that lack of attendance or low attendance at early childhood programs
impacted a student’s DIBELS scores at the beginning of kindergarten. If students attended early
childhood programs, then they will be better prepared for the beginning reading skills expected
at the beginning of kindergarten.
The purpose of this study was to identify if early childhood program attendance had an effect
on reading readiness skills. This was done by identifying the early childhood program
attendance rates of students who entered kindergarten in 2011 and 2012. Students were
categorized into three groups: students who attended 25% or less, students who attended 26-
50%, and students who attended more than 50% of early childhood meetings. These attendance
rates were compared to their beginning kindergarten DIBELS score. The independent variable
was the rate of attendance at early childhood meetings and the dependent variable was the child’s
DIBELS score.
Field Study Methods
Research Design
Independent variables.
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The attendance of three and four-year old students at the thirteen early childhood
programs offered for students who entered kindergarten in 2011 and 2012.
Dependent variables.
Student DIBELS scores at the beginning of kindergarten.
Study Group
Students who entered kindergarten in 2011 and 2012. Fifteen students were included in
this study. Students from various socioeconomic levels were included in this study because all
kindergarten students were included in the study. Low socioeconomic status of students in this
study was unknown, but the school has a free and reduced lunch rate serving 43 percent of the
elementary school population. There were thirteen students that were five years of age at the
time of the DIBELS test and two students were six years of age. Two of the students in this
study had participated in the school’s Bridges program, a prekindergarten program that allows
kindergarten-aged students who are not developmentally ready for kindergarten to attend a half
day of prekindergarten and a half day of kindergarten before entering a full year of kindergarten.
Data Collection and Instrumentation
Nominal data collection-student attendance at early childhood meetings, which was
sorted into categories 25% or less, 26-50%, and more than 50% attendance rates. This data was
collected by using the sign-in sheets from early childhood meetings from September 2009 to
March 2012.
Interval data collection-DIBELS composite scores from the beginning of kindergarten.
DIBELS is a criterion-referenced test which indicates student reading success. This is an online
test given to students to determine if a student is on benchmark, if strategic intervention is
needed, or if intensive intervention is needed. Students meeting benchmark goals are more likely
Early Childhood Programs
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to achieve later reading outcomes. Those students scoring below the benchmark level are
identified so that additional intervention strategies can be given to these students. The composite
score is a combination of multiple DIBELS scores. At the beginning of kindergarten First Sound
Fluency and Letter Naming Fluency is assessed. First Sound Fluency is a test in which students
indicate the beginning sound of a word. Letter Naming Fluency is a test of letter recognition
with a combination of capital and lowercase letters (Dynamic Measurement Group, 2010).
Data Analysis Methods
A T-test was used to test for significant differences between the DIBELS scores of
students with attendance rates of 25% or less and 26-50%, attendance rates 25% or less and more
than 50%, and 26-50% and more than 50%. The alpha value used was 0.25.
Summary
The independent variable was the attendance of three and four-year old students at the
thirteen early childhood programs offered for students who entered kindergarten in 2011 and
2012. The dependent variable was student DIBELS scores at the beginning of kindergarten.
The study group included Students who entered kindergarten in 2011 and 2012. Fifteen students
were included in this study. Students from various socioeconomic levels were included in this
study because all kindergarten students were included in the study. Low socioeconomic status of
students in this study was unknown, but the school has a free and reduced lunch rate serving 43
percent of the elementary school population. There were thirteen students that were five years of
age at the time of the DIBELS test and two students were six years of age. Two of the students
in this study had participated in the school’s Bridges program, a prekindergarten program that
allows kindergarten-aged students who are not developmentally ready for kindergarten to attend
Early Childhood Programs
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a half day of prekindergarten and a half day of kindergarten before entering a full year of
kindergarten.
Data used was both nominal and interval data. Nominal data included student attendance
at early childhood meetings, which was sorted into categories 25% or less, 26-50%, and more
than 50% attendance rates. This data was collected by using the sign-in sheets from early
childhood meetings from September 2009 to March 2012. Interval data included DIBELS
composite scores from the beginning of kindergarten. DIBELS is a criterion-referenced test
which indicates student reading success. This is an online test given to students to determine if a
student is on benchmark, if strategic intervention is needed, or if intensive intervention is needed.
Students meeting benchmark goals are more likely to achieve later reading outcomes. Those
students scoring below the benchmark level are identified so that additional intervention
strategies can be given to these students. The composite score is a combination of multiple
DIBELS scores. At the beginning of kindergarten First Sound Fluency and Letter Naming
Fluency is assessed. First Sound Fluency is a test in which students indicate the beginning sound
of a word. Letter Naming Fluency is a test of letter recognition with a combination of capital
and lowercase letters (Dynamic Measurement Group, 2010).
A T-test was used to test for significant differences between the DIBELS scores of
students with attendance rates of 25% or less and 26-50%, attendance rates 25% or less and more
than 50%, and 26-50% and more than 50%. The alpha value used was 0.25.
Early Childhood Programs
20
CHAPTER FOUR
FINDINGS AND RESULTS FROM DATA ANALYSIS
Overview of Problem and Background
Lack of attendance or low attendance at early childhood programs impacted a student’s
DIBELS scores at the beginning of kindergarten. A number of students who came to
kindergarten were not showing reading readiness skills. Many children who were not showing
reading readiness skills were those that did not attend early childhood programs provided by
their school. If students attended early childhood programs, then they would be better prepared
for the beginning reading skills expected at the beginning of kindergarten. The purpose of this
study was to identify if early childhood program attendance had an effect on reading readiness
skills. This was done by identifying the early childhood program attendance rates of students
who entered kindergarten in 2011 and 2012. Students were categorized into three groups:
students who attended 25% or less, students who attended 26-50%, and students who attended
more than 50% of early childhood meetings. These attendance rates were compared to their
beginning kindergarten DIBELS score. The independent variable was the rate of attendance at
early childhood meetings and the dependent variable was the child’s DIBELS score.
Characteristics of Field Study Group
Data were collected from students who entered kindergarten in 2011 and 2012. Students
were categorized into three groups: students who attended 25% or less, students who attended
26-50%, and students who attended more than 50% of early childhood meetings. These
attendance rates were compared to their beginning kindergarten DIBELS score.
Early Childhood Programs
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Findings by Research Question
Student attendance at early childhood meetings were compiled and DIBELS scores were
averaged. As shown in Table 1, students who attended 25 percent or less of all early childhood
meetings averaged a composite score of 35.67 on the DIBELS test at the beginning of
kindergarten. The composite score of the DIBELS test was figured by taking a student’s First
Sound Fluency score and Letter Naming Fluency score and adding them together. First Sound
Fluency score is determined by the number of beginning sounds that a student gives correctly in
a one-minute time period. Letter Naming Fluency score is determined by the number of capital
and lowercase letters identified in a one-minute time period (Dynamic Measurement Group,
2010). Students attending 26 to 50 percent of all early childhood meetings averaged a composite
score of 44 on the DIBELS test at the beginning of kindergarten. Students attending 51 to 100
percent of all early childhood meetings averaged a composite score if 35.67 on the DIBELS test
at the beginning of kindergarten. As shown in Figure 1, the standard deviation figured was
smaller than the mean, which indicated there may have been significance to the hypothesis.
Table 1
Summary of DIBELS Scores
Mean SD N
25% or Less Attendance 35.67 19.01 3.00
26-50% Attendance 44.00 11.28 4.00
51-100% Attendance 35.67 19.01 3.00
Early Childhood Programs
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A T-test analysis method was used to show the DIBELS test scores of students attending
early childhood meetings 25 percent or less and 26 to 50 percent, 25 percent or less and 51 to
100 percent, and 26-50 percent and 51 to 100 percent. As shown in Table 2, early childhood
program attendance shows a significant difference to DIBELS test scores between students
who attend 25 percent or less of early childhood meetings and students who attend 26 to 50
percent of early childhood meetings (p value=0.012, significance=<.25). Early childhood
program attendance shows a significant difference to DIBELS test scores between students
who attend 25 percent or less of early childhood meetings and students who attend 51-100
percent (p value 0.089, significance=<.25). Early childhood attendance shows a significant
difference to DIBELS test scores between students who attend 26 to 50 percent of early
childhood meetings and 51 to 100 percent of early childhood meetings (p value 0.248,
significance=<.25). The null hypothesis is rejected.
0.00
5.00
10.00
15.00
20.00
25.00
30.00
35.00
40.00
45.00
25% or LessAttendance
26-50%Attendance
51-100%Attendance
Mean
SD
Figure 1. A Summary of the Average and Standard Deviation of 2011
and 2012 Kindergarten DIBELS Score and Their Attendance at Early
Childhood Programs.
Early Childhood Programs
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Table 2
Summary of T-test Results on Student Attendance
Sign. =<.25
t-value mean D
p-value df
25% or Less and 26-50% 2.23 -26.38 0.012 10
25% or less and 51-100% <1.81 -18.04 0.089 9
26-50% and 51-100% <1.48 8.33 0.248 5
Summary of Major Finding
Student attendance at early childhood meetings were compiled and DIBELS scores were
averaged. As shown in Table 1, students who attended 25 percent or less of all early childhood
meetings averaged a composite score of 35.67 on the DIBELS test at the beginning of
kindergarten. Students attending 26 to 50 percent of all early childhood meetings averaged a
composite score of 44 on the DIBELS test at the beginning of kindergarten. Students attending
51 to 100 percent of all early childhood meetings averaged a composite score if 35.67 on the
DIBELS test at the beginning of kindergarten. As shown in Figure 1, the standard deviation
figured was smaller than the mean, which indicated there may have been significance to the
hypothesis. A T-test analysis method was used to show the DIBELS test scores of students
attending early childhood meetings 25 percent or less and 26 to 50 percent, 25 percent or less and
51 to 100 percent, and 26-50 percent and 51 to 100 percent. As shown in Table 2, early
childhood program attendance is significantly related to DIBELS test scores (p values=.012,
.089, .248).
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CHAPTER FIVE
FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Restatement of the Purpose
The purpose of this study was to identify if early childhood program attendance had an effect
on reading readiness skills. This was done by identifying the early childhood program
attendance rates of students who entered kindergarten in 2011 and 2012. Students were
categorized into three groups: students who attended 25% or less, students who attended 26-
50%, and students who attended more than 50% of early childhood meetings. These attendance
rates were compared to their beginning kindergarten DIBELS score. The independent variable
was the rate of attendance at early childhood meetings and the dependent variable was the child’s
DIBELS score.
Summary of Research Methods
Student attendance at early childhood meetings were compiled and DIBELS scores were
averaged. Students who attended 25 percent or less of all early childhood meetings averaged a
composite score of 35.67 on the DIBELS test at the beginning of kindergarten. Students
attending 26 to 50 percent of all early childhood meetings averaged a composite score of 44 on
the DIBELS test at the beginning of kindergarten. Students attending 51 to 100 percent of all
early childhood meetings averaged a composite score if 35.67 on the DIBELS test at the
beginning of kindergarten. The standard deviation figured was smaller than the mean, which
indicated there may have been significance to the hypothesis. A T-test analysis method was
used to show the DIBELS test scores of students attending early childhood meetings 25 percent
or less and 26 to 50 percent, 25 percent or less and 51 to 100 percent, and 26-50 percent and 51
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to 100 percent. Early childhood program attendance is significantly related to DIBELS test
scores (p values=.012, .089, .248).
Discussion of Findings
The hypothesis, students who attend early childhood programs show more reading
readiness skills than those children who do not attend early childhood programs was accepted
and the null hypothesis, there is no significant difference in the reading readiness skills of
children who attend early childhood programs and children who do not attend early childhood
programs, was rejected.
There are many considerations to think about as to why this hypothesis may be supported. It
may be that parents who attend these early childhood meetings believe that the parent is
important in a child’s early education. Socioeconomic status of the families with higher
attendance rates is also a factor to consider. Also, those families with low attendance at early
childhood programs may not understand the importance of early childhood programs and also
socioeconomic status is important to consider.
This data was collected from a small rural school. Further research should be considered to
see if similar results are shown at other small schools as well as larger schools. Studies should
also be considered to see if family beliefs and socioeconomic status are also factors in students’
reading readiness skills when entering kindergarten.
Conclusions
This school should continue with their early childhood programs in order to prepare their
students for beginning kindergarten. Early childhood program attendance shows a significant
difference to DIBELS test scores between students who attend 25 percent or less of early
childhood meetings and students who attend 26 to 50 percent of early childhood meetings
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(p value=0.012, significance=<.25). Early childhood program attendance shows a significant
difference to DIBELS test scores between students who attend 25 percent or less of early
childhood meetings and students who attend 51-100 percent (p value 0.089, significance=<.25).
Early childhood attendance shows a significant difference to DIBELS test scores between
students who attend 26 to 50 percent of early childhood meetings and 51 to 100 percent of early
childhood meetings (p value 0.248, significance=<.25). This study can be shown to the
administration of the school to show that the early childhood program is a beneficial program for
its students’ education. Overall, the more often students attend early childhood meetings the
more likely a student is going to show beginning reading readiness skills by scoring well on
the DIBELS test. This school should also consider ways to educate parents as to the
importance of early childhood meeting attendance to prepare their child for beginning
kindergarten reading skills.
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families, and programs. Retrieved from http://www.mathematica-
mpr.com/publications/PDFs/earlychildhood/FACES_yrheadstart.pdf
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Stacy Mason
Positions Held
Eleven years of teaching at Jefferson C-123 in Conception Jct., MO
o Currently- Kindergarten Teacher
o Previously- First Grade-5 years
Prekindergarten-1 year
Education
Master’s Degree in Elementary Education-anticipated graduation December 2012
Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education, Early Childhood- April 2002 from
Northwest Missouri State University
Extracurricular Activities
Write Night- book writing sessions for parents and children in grades Prek-1
Parents as Teachers/Early Childhood Meetings
Math Board Game Activities- sessions for students in grades K-2
Kindergarten Round-Up Parent Informational Meeting
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