Reforming Preschool to Ready Children for Academic Achievement: A Case Study of the Impact of Pre-K Reform on the Issue of School Readiness

Research Findings: Policymakers preschool reforms that are to prepare young children for school success have sparked important conversations within the field of early childhood education over how these programs are to ready young children for school. This article presents findings from a case study that examined this issue of school readiness across a collection of pre-k programs. Doing so illustrates how preschool reforms can impact early childhood stakeholders' understanding of school readiness, what it is they do with their students in their programs, and why. Practice or Policy: These findings demonstrate how policymakers' pre-k reforms can tighten the link between preschool and elementary school in a way that prioritizes the goals of K-12 education systems. They also suggest that for those who want to expand the construct of school readiness they should do so in a way that addresses and recognizes the challenges pre-k stakeholders in local contexts face on a day-to-day basis. For policymakers, there appears to be an opportunity and willingness within the ECE community for preschool reform. They should take advantage of this willingness for change by considering policy solutions that value the complexity of the child and of the field of early education itself. Notes 1The other two conceptions of readiness found in Meisels's heuristic devise are the idealist/nativist and the social constructionist conceptions. The idealist/nativist perspective frames this construct as being "a within-the-child phenomenon" (Meisels, Citation1999, p. 50). A child is ready to learn in school when his or her "level of development is ready" (Kagan, Citation1990, p. 272). The social constructionist framework "looks to the setting for its definition of readiness" (Meisels, Citation1999, p. 49). Under this lens, the "meanings of readiness" for school success and the role of early education programs are "locally developed" by "actors" within each social context (M. E. Graue, Citation1993, p. 248). 2In Texas, the state-supported pre-K program only serves four-year-old children for one academic year. Students must be age 4 prior to September 1st of that academic year to enter the program. Note. Data for public school campuses were derived from archived Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) campus accountability reports available online through the Texas Education Agency. No. of TEEM classes indicates how many classrooms on each particular campus used the TEEM model. Demographic data for Head Start campuses were not available outside of the percentage of low-income students as defined by the federal eligibility requirements. All demographic data for public school campuses are for the student population on a campus, not just those in pre-K. Percent low income for public school campuses was based on the percentage of children receiving free and reduced price breakfast and/or lunch. Percent mobile refers to the percentage of students on the campus who exited during the course of the year for undefined purposes. LEP = limited English proficient; TEEM = Texas Early Education Model. 3The TAKS and TEKS went into effect in 2003. 4In the spring of 2009, the Texas Legislature and governor amended the state's promotion requirements for the 2009–2010 school year. In Grade 3, the TAKS test is no longer the sole indicator used to determine grade promotion. It is now one of several indicators, including teacher recommendations and student grades. However, students' TAKS reading and math scores in Grades 5 and 8 are still used to determine grade promotion. 5School districts and their campuses are evaluated on students' performance on the TAKS, state-developed alternative assessments, completion rates, and annual dropout rates. An exemplary program has at least 90% of all students in all subgroups passing each of the TAKS subjects. A recognized school has at least 75% of all students in all subgroups passing each of the TAKS subjects. A school performing at the acceptable level has a TAKS passing rate of at least 70% on the English language arts/reading, writing, and social studies TAKS exams; at least 55% on the mathematics TAKS; and at least 50% on the science TAKS. Go to www.tea.state.tx.us for more information. Note. Pre-K = prekindergarten. 6Although some studies have shown an immediate increase in retained students' test scores (e.g., Alexander, Entwisle, & Dauber, Citation2003; Jacobs & Lefgren, Citation2004) and an improvement in test scores among those who achieve proficiency (e.g., Allensworth, Citation2005), retention dramatically increases the likelihood that the retained student will leave the education system and continue to perform poorly on these standardized assessments (e.g., Alexander et al., Citation2003; Alexander, Entwisle, & Horsey, Citation1997; Allensworth, Citation2005; Jimerson, Carlson, Rotert, Egeland, & Sroufe, Citation1997; Roderick & Nagaoka, Citation2005; Shepard & Smith, Citation1986). 7For more about policies that guide and direct Head Start, go to http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/Head%20Start%20Program/Program%20Design%20and%20Management. 8See U.S. Department of Education & U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2011).