In an effort to increase access to public prekindergarten programs, many states are linking school- and community-based early childhood education (ECE) providers together to jointly deliver services. This strategy leverages existing ECE programs as part of the ongoing expansion of state-funded prekindergarten. Understanding how these efforts unfold at the local level is important for future policymaking that seeks to address the provision and improvement of publicly funded ECE programs. This dissertation explores how prekindergarten collaboration members work together, influence one another, and contribute to increased alignment within the field of ECE. This research presents findings from a case study that examined prekindergarten collaboration in one Texas community. Data were collected primarily through semi-structured interviews with individuals directly involved in prekindergarten collaboration implementation or with families served through public prekindergarten. Findings show that the depth and nature of the partnerships in this effort varied by the location of services and level of support made available to collaboration members. Key program features, such as classroom structure, instruction, and curriculum, were aligned across all three programs. Based upon these findings, I discuss the potential implications for policy and practice and suggest further topics of study related to these issues. / text

This study addressed the problem of insufficient information concerning the impact of variability in requirements and credentials for Florida Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) teachers statewide on VPK program quality. This study examined the variance in the professional credentials of VPK lead instructors in Florida school districts and whether or not this variability makes a significant difference in program quality as measured by VPK Provider Kindergarten Readiness Rates. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) statistical tests were conducted, as appropriate, for each of four research questions. Research findings indicated there was no statistically significant difference in the mean VPK Provider Kindergarten Readiness Rates based on the professional credentials for VPK lead instructors when controlling for the socio-economic status of the children enrolled at each site. Recommendations were made for future research to replicate the study using a different indicator of program quality, perhaps a measure of student progress throughout the school year. Also, the first groups of students to participate in Florida’s voluntary prekindergarten (VPK) program are now enrolled in upper elementary grades making a longitudinal study both feasible and worthwhile in evaluating the effectiveness of a largescale preschool program. The researcher further recommended that the idea of improving the qualifications of the prekindergarten workforce must persist, supported by continued research and adequate funding.

Young children develop language and early literacy interactions that are the building blocks for future skilled reading. This study was designed to evaluate the early childhood classroom to determine teachers‟ knowledge of early literacy. Based on the Literacy Environment Checklist (LEC) of the Early Literacy and Language Classroom Observation (ELLCO) tool, the classrooms scored 100% proficiency in the Book Area and Book Selection categories. The results indicate the prekindergarten teachers knew how to design their classrooms to enhance early literacy. The classrooms scored 86% proficiency in the Writing Materials category, 73% proficiency in the Writing around the Room category, and 58% proficiency in the Book Use category. These results indicate that the teachers did not utilize early literacy materials or did not have necessary early literacy materials in the classrooms. Many of the teachers had minimal early literacy training. Without specific early literacy training, teachers did not design their classrooms in ways that would enhance early literacy.

This study was designed to explore the relationship between maternal attitudes about math, mothers' attitudes about their prekindergarten child's math abilities, mother-child math interactions, and prekindergarten children's math achievement. Using a Vygotskian framework, an intervention was developed. An intervention group of 18 mother-child dyads from Hyrum, Utah, area and a comparison group of 17 mother-child dyads from the Weston, Idaho, area were invited to participate in this research project. Measures included the Early Mathematics Concepts (EMC) assessment, the School Readiness Composite (SRC) of the Bracken Basic Concepts Scale-Revised (BBCS-R), My Attitudes Scale (MAS), and My Attitudes About My Child's Abilities Scale (MAAMCAS). Research hypotheses predicted that the intervention group would score higher on the EMC and each of the EMC's four focus areas at the posttest. Results did not support these hypotheses. Research hypotheses also predicted that the intervention group would have a larger difference in MAS and MAAMCAS scores from pretest to posttest and .that MAS and MAAMCAS scores would predict EMC scores. Neither of these hypotheses was supported. The final research hypothesis predicted a relationship between EMC focus area scores and mathrelated subscales of the BBCS- R. The strongest relationship appeared to be between the EMC number focus and the BBCS-R number subscale. The results were interpreted in accordance with current research and possible limitations of the present study.

Vision impairment is recognized as a global public health problem. Children are the most susceptible population to many of the vision diseases. Knowledge of the causes and prevalence of common types of visual impairments is important for planning of preventive health care services to ensure that the children receive proper eye care in a timely manner. The purpose of this thesis is to describe the prevalence of visual impairment and to identify associated risk factors among the prekindergarten children in Georgia. During August 2005 to May 2006, there were 30,115 prekindergarten children enrolled in the Prevent Blindness Georgia Children Vision Screening Program, and a total of 25,543 (84.8%) children received vision screening. A total of 1,345 (5.27%) children had visual impairments and were referred to take an eye exam. Over 80% of the children who were referred and received eye exams were found to have vision problems. Timely screening is one of the effective ways for early detection of vision problems among these children. This study showed there were significant differences in the screening rate between the children with high socioeconomic status and those with low socioeconomic status. Educational and promotion programs should focus on improving the knowledge of vision diseases and use of available preventive service, particularly by the community of low socioeconomic status.

National early childhood organizations have posited that technology tools might be used to expand young children's thinking and experiences if offered in playful ways, and organized with interactive activities that allow for individualization and social interaction (NAEYC & Fred Rogers Center, 2012). Furthermore, these organizations have argued for the need to study newer technologies such as touch-screen technologies (NAEYC & Fred Rogers Center, 2012). The purpose of this study is to examine young children's technology-related play choices and actions particularly as they occurred with touch-screen tablets in a classroom setting. The 10-week qualitative study, organized around a classic grounded theory methodology (Glaser, 1978, 1992, 1998) and conducted within a single classroom, reports the close observation and description of 14 public- school pre-kindergarten students' actions with open-ended, symbolic-play tablet apps and interactions with one another, toward building a grounded theory of children's socially situated, tablet-centered digital play. The findings of this study demonstrate how participants' play choices were situated within multiple nested social spheres, including layers of digital play, the iPad activity-center, and the classroom as organized by the teacher. Examination of children's changeable play actions and choices revealed students' use of reflexive tracking as they actively navigated between personal and social interests to engage in three types of play: sampling, experimenting, and engaging in pretense. The findings and theorized model of socially situated dual-tablet play inform the discourse on technology integration in early childhood classrooms as well as the discourse on play, particularly in regards to digital play. / text

The state of Tennessee was the ideal place to implement Pre-K programs because of the number of children living in poverty, health-care issues, and student’s poor performances on academic measures. This chapter will explore the development of Pre-K, the use of pilot programs, the major expansions, and the period of sustainment. The fi nal section will identify lessons learned and recommendations for expansion of quality Pre-K programs for all young children.

This study looked at father teaching interactions and singing in toddlerhood as predictors of child cognitive and language outcomes at prekindergarten in a low-income, ethnically diverse sample. Results found that, overall, father teaching interactions in toddlerhood predicted child cognitive and language outcomes at prekindergarten and father singing in toddlerhood predicted language outcomes. Fathers provided slightly more teaching interactions at child age 24 months than at 36 months, and sang more frequently at 36 months. Within ethnic groups, father teaching interactions were statistically significant in predicting cognitive and language development outcomes for children of African American (approached significance for language outcomes) and European American fathers, but not for children of Latino American fathers. Father singing in toddlerhood approached significance for language outcomes at prekindergarten for children of European American and Latino American fathers, but not for children of African American fathers. Overall, father behaviors were found to positively predict child outcomes, suggesting that fathers provide an independent additive contribution to children’s developmental skills that reflect school readiness. Independently of what mothers do, fathers play a unique role in child development and provide positive parent-child interactions that support children’s early development.

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there is a significant difference in the academic and behavioral performance of students who had attended Putnam County’s prekindergarten program and students who qualified for, but had not attended Putnam County’s prekindergarten program. The researcher examined individual student data of specific students in three grade bands (elementary, middle, and high school). The grade levels included 3rd grade, 7th grade, and 9th grade. The data analyzed were students’ individual GPA, ACT Explore scores, MAP Universal Screener scores, number of days absent, and number of discipline referrals of students who had attended Putnam County’s prekindergarten program and students who qualified for Putnam County’s prekindergarten program, but had not attended. The population of this study consisted of 1,118 students in Putnam County, Tennessee. The researcher used end-of-year GPA, ACT Explore scores, fall and spring MAP universal screener scores in Math and Reading, absenteeism rates as defined by total number of days missed out of 180 instructional days, and end-of-year discipline referral rates. The researcher gathered this data from various resources such as individual student reports (MAP scores) and PowerSchool, which is Putnam County’s Student Information System. The data was then analyzed using a series of independent sample t-tests. Significant differences were found in all grade levels in GPA, MAP Reading, and MAP Math scores with students who had attended prekindergarten in Putnam County performing better than those who qualified for prekindergarten but had not attended. Significant differences were also found in 9th grade ACT Explore scores with students who had attended prekindergarten in Putnam County performing better than those who qualified for but had not attended. In regard to days absent and discipline reports, the only significant findings were found in 3rd grade with students who had attended prekindergarten in Putnam county missing fewer days than those who had not attended. This study concluded with recommendations that further specified focus should be applied to state-funded prekindergarten programs.

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