From Deseret News archives:
Studies tout the benefits of full-day kindergarten
A study of Jordan District's program at Midvale Elementary, conducted by Brigham Young University, found full-day kindergartners made greater gains in literacy exams especially kids learning English as a second language than children in half-day kindergarten programs.
Two Granite District schools that were examined also have twice as many students scoring as established readers on one literacy test, and half as many considered at-risk, in the first half year of its pilot program, Title I schools director Rob Averett said.
"These preliminary observations are impressive," Averett told the Granite Board of Education. "We wanted you to have that punch line right now as the Legislature considers the governor's very positive initiative to extend extended-day kindergarten in more Utah schools."
Optional, full-day kindergarten targeting low-income, at-risk students is one of Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.'s top priorities. It is supported by the State Board of Education as a way to fill in achievement gaps between whites and minorities, the haves and have-nots, before they take hold, as several studies have suggested.
Huntsman's proposal is fleshed out in SB49, sponsored by Sen. Lyle Hillyard, R-Logan. It has not yet been debated.
Fifteen Utah school districts, including Weber, Ogden, Salt Lake City and Box Elder, offered full-day kindergarten programs last year, mostly with federal Title I dollars for low-income schools. Programs also are available to about half the nation's schoolchildren.
Midvale Elementary in Jordan District has offered full-day kindergarten for two years and now has five such classrooms enrolling 116 children.
The BYU study, conducted by Kendra M. Hall, Gary E. Bingham and Byran B. Korth through the department of teacher education, weighed Midvale's data with that from two unnamed schools' half-day programs. It examined student achievement on five literacy and math tests, instructional quality, perceptions and attendance. It included 96 students just over half are English language learners 53 parents and six teachers.
Comments
- Atlantis set for launch 9:54 a.m.
- L.A. pushes to get repaid 9:50 a.m.
- Vitamin D deficiency puts U.S. at risk 9:48 a.m.
- Suntech plans Phoenix-area plant 9:43 a.m.
- Stocks jump as retail sales rebound 9:40 a.m.
- CBS launching turn-of-decade project 9:37 a.m.
- Iran's Russian reactor startup delayed 9:34 a.m.
- 13 bodies found west of Baghdad 9:30 a.m.
- Court rejects book banning case 9:27 a.m.
- Fed cracks down on gift card abuses 9:24 a.m.
- Apostle's wife felt comfort in attack
- MWC expand? Get rid of deadweight
- TCU stays 4th in AP; Y. 19th, U. 23rd
- Bennett at center of GOP storm
- Win in New Mexico good for Y?
- BYU happy to escape with victory
- TCU creams U.
- Relieved Cougs prep for Falcons
- RSL heads to MLS title game
- Jazz rookies had to grow up quickly
- BYU happy to escape with victory
231 - TCU creams U.
229 - Editorial: Mormons and gay rights
207 - Will state consider gay rights law?
150 - Can BYU root for (ick) Utah Utes?
131 - RSL heads to MLS title game
130 - Utes remain silent about BCS
120 - Celtics crush Jazz
104 - TCU stays 4th in AP; Y. 19th, U. 23rd
103 - 3A: Hurricane advances to title game
89
Sears is holding a special VIP night Sunday, Nov. 15, in stores and online.
How do you handle kids and contests? Our oldest daughter, 7, is of the...
We are inflicting this same terrible suffering on others in the middle east a...
I am a Bronco fan and I'm not sure if some of these posts are really made by...
Since 2/3 of all sexual abuse happens in the home with a relative or family...
Thank you SO MUCH for calling BYU overrated and vulnerable! I hope the team...
If they back "him" they back the wrong person. I think itis "her" they are...
I think the Danes are the smartest people on earth. I wish we could import...
has been intervening in the Mideast since the formation of Israel in the late...
Because we have big time college football being played in this state, un-like...
Dear Looking at Jokers, Please check the national rankings for...
is that they are loyal to their players. They pay players for what they have...

You can be the first to comment on this story.