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Early Childhood Programs

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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.


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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


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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?


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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


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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


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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


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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


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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.








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


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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


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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.


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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.


21

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


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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.


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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


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








DIBELS score.

Summary of Research Methods


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


25

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


26

(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.


27

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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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