Abstract
Michigan’s Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) is a state-funded pre-K program that serves at risk four-year-old children across the state. Utilizing longitudinal data from 1,394 children in a mid-sized urban school district, we conducted regression analyses and piecewise linear growth models to examine the growth trajectory of GSRP children and non-GSRP children at each grade level from kindergarten to third grade in both reading and math. The results of regression analyses showed that, after accounting for other variables, participation in GSRP was statistically significantly associated with higher scores on Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) measures at various time points, ranging from 0.22–0.46 standard deviations (SD) in math and 0.31–0.49 SD in reading. The results of piecewise linear growth models illustrated that GSRP children had a statistically significantly faster monthly growth rate than non-GSRP children during the kindergarten year. However, the growth rates were not significantly different during the first, second, and third grade.
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Notes
It is important to note that these five cohorts of students were affected by COVID-19 to vary degrees. The 2017–18 and 2018–19 cohorts were not impacted by COVID-19. However, due to COVID-19, the Spring MAP tested was not conducted during the 2019–2020 school year when the 2019–20 cohort was in third grade, the 2020–21 cohort was in second grade, and the 2021–21 cohort was in first grade.
It would be more ideal to have Fall, Winter, and Spring achievement data for each grade, but these six measures are the only data available for us to use.
We lack information about the specific schools attended by students within the school district, rendering a three-level model with repeated measures nested within students nested within schools unfeasible. Additionally, the elementary schools within the district are few in number.
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Wu, H., Shen, J., Li, X. et al. Great Start Readiness Program and Children’s Academic Achievement: A Longitudinal Study. Early Childhood Educ J (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-024-01680-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-024-01680-2