Thesis--PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 1978. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 191-197). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center.

The purpose of the study was to determine whether a significant difference existed in the academic achievement of students as a function of attending half-day or full-day kindergartens. The hypothesis was students in full-day kindergartens will demonstrate more growth in academic achievement than students in half-day kindergartens as measured by the Head Start Measurements Battery (HSMB) in seven areas: language, math, nature/science, perception, reading, social development, and overall score. One hundred subjects were randomly selected from 158 qualified subjects that attended four Chapter 1 schools in a public school district in Southern Arizona. Four half-day and five full-day kindergartens participated. Five classes implemented a bilingual curriculum, one a Spanish curriculum, and three an English curriculum. Eventually, 74 subjects were pretested in November 1984 and posttested in May 1985. The majority of the subjects were Hispanics. Based on the literature review, the need to assess children in English/Spanish/bilingually, the need for an individually administered test of a manipulative nature, and the need for a psychometrically sound instrument, the Fall 1984 version of the Head Start Measures Battery was selected. It assesses the three-to-six-year-old child's cognitive development. The research design used was a quasi-experimental approach: the non-equivalent control group design. The independent variables were the schedules and the dependent variables were the seven areas measured by the HSMB. Mean gain scores were calculated in each of the seven areas. A t-test was used to analyze the data. The results indicated that there was a statistically significant difference (p<.05) between the mean gain scores of the half-day and full-day kindergartens (in favor of the full-day kindergartens) in language, math, and reading. The evidence failed to indicate a statistically significant difference in nature/science, perception, social development, and overall scores. In conclusion, the findings suggested that there was greater academic achievement in languages, math, and reading for full-day than for half-day kindergarten students. The findings failed to provide evidence of a difference in the academic achievement of half-day and full-day kindergarten students in nature/science, perception, social development, and overall scores.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Miami University, Dept. of Educational Leadership, 2006. / Title from second page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 68-70).

No description available.

No description available.

This research study focused on early childhood education programs that were implemented by public school districts in Indiana. The research questions addressed in this study were as follows: 1. What benefits related to student achievement does an investment of financial and human resources in preschool and/or full-day kindergarten programs show for students and for a school district? 2. What means of funding do school districts utilize to implement an early childhood education program? 3. What characteristics do successful early childhood programs possess, as determined by school district administrators? The online survey, which was utilized to collect this data, was developed by the researcher. This survey was distributed to public school superintendents of 164 small and mid-sized school corporations in Indiana, of which 43 were small school corporations (0 to 1,000 students) and 121 were mid-sized school corporations (1,001 to 5,000 students). Of the total sample of 164 school districts, 48 surveys were returned, which resulted in a 29.3% response rate. The data collected in this study showed the following results: 1. Students in the preschool programs showed increased acquisition of socialization skills and improved motivation in school. 2. School districts utilized a combination of federal funds, state funds, and federal grants to support their preschool programs. 3. The preschool programs were designed to incorporate the best practice characteristics of a curriculum based on the state early learning standards. The programs also were staffed with teachers who have four-year college degrees and have small class sizes of 20 students, with a staff-to-child ratio of ten students per adult (10:1). These school districts could serve as a model for other school districts that are planning to implement a preschool program through a review of their experiences in designing the program, staffing the program, funding the program, and supporting the academics in the program. / Department of Educational Leadership

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2004. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 114-122). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.

Thesis (M.S.), Human Environmental Sciences--University of Central Oklahoma, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 31-34).

This study examines the impact of selected structures of the Virginia Preschool Initiative on reading readiness in at-risk preschool students in the state of Virginia. The Virginia Preschool Initiative is designed to prepare at-risk four-year-olds for success in kindergarten. According to the Virginia Department of Education, "The purpose of the grants is to reduce disparities among young children upon formal school entry and to reduce or eliminate those risk factors that lead to early academic failure." (Virginia Department of Education, 2005) The independent variables are the specific curriculum models used by the school division, length of program day, teacher certification, and program sponsoring agency. The dependent variables are the pre and post assessment scores on the eight subtests of the PALS-PreK assessment. A paired sample t-test and one-way ANOVA were conducted using Fall and Spring 2006 PALS-PreK student assessment scores from school divisions that participated in the Virginia Preschool Initiative during the 2005-06 school year to determine the relationship between the curriculum implemented and PALS-PreK Fall and Spring student assessment scores. The findings in this study indicate a statistically significant difference between the Fall and Spring student assessment scores for each of the curriculum models analyzed and at least one curriculum model consistently underperforms the other three curriculum models. There were no differences in three variables (length of school day, teacher certification, and program sponsoring agency) and were therefore, not subject to analysis. / Ph. D.