Does Absenteeism Differ for Children with Disabilities in Full-Day versus Part-Day Kindergarten?

Little is known about the effects of attending full-day versus part-day kindergarten for children with disabilities, and nothing is known about how these settings link to differences in children's school absences. This is concerning, given that children with disabilities have higher absence rates compared to children in the general population. To address this gap, this study examined a nationally-representative sample of kindergartners with disabilities and inquired into whether going to full- versus part-day kindergarten predicted differences in absences. Children with disabilities in full-day kindergarten had more total number of school days missed as well as a higher chance of being chronically absent compared to those children in part-day kindergarten. However, the size of this association was reduced for children with disabilities in lower-SES families and for boys with disabilities. There were no differences by disability category. Policy implications are discussed in terms of how early educational settings can be most supportive, and for whom.