Is Full Day Better Than Half Day? A Propensity Score Analysis of the Association Between Head Start Program Intensity and Children's School Performance in Kindergarten. Issue 2 (17th February 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Leow, Christine; Wen, Xiaoli
• Is Part Of: Early education and development. Volume 28:Issue 2(2017)
• Page Start: 224
• Page End: 239
• Publication Date: 2017-02-17
• Subjects: Child development -- United States -- Periodicals; Child psychology -- United States -- Periodicals; Education, Preschool -- United States -- Periodicals; Early childhood education -- United States -- Periodicals; 372.21097305
• DOI: 10.1080/10409289.2016.1208600
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1040-9289

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Research Findings : This study used data from a national sample to examine differences in school outcomes at the end of kindergarten between Head Start children who attended full-day and half-day programs. Propensity scores were used to match children who experienced different intensities of the program on a series of demographic characteristics in order to achieve a more unbiased estimation of the intensity effect. Analyses were performed on 2 different age cohorts: 3-year-olds who enrolled in the program for 2 years and 4-year-olds who enrolled in the program for 1 year. The results showed that in comparison to a demographically comparable group of children who attended the Head Start half-day program, children who experienced the more intensive full-day program showed no significant differences on any of the 5 academic and social outcome measures examined. Practice or Policy : Policy and practice implications, as well as future research ideas, are discussed within this context.