Full-Day Kindergarten: A Study of State Policies in the United States.FULL-DAY KINDERGARTEN kindergarten [Ger.,=garden of children], system of preschool education. Friedrich Froebel designed (1837) the kindergarten to provide an educational situation less formal than that of the elementary school but one in which children's creative play instincts would be : A Study of State Policies in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. . Kauerz, K. Denver, CO: Education Commission of the States The Education Commission of the States (ECS) was founded as a result of the creation of the Compact for Education, supported by all 50 states and approved by Congress in 1965. The original idea of establishing an interstate compact on education and creating an operational arm to follow up , 2005. Few early childhood educators This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject.Please help recruit one or [ improve this article] yourself. See the talk page for details. question the value of full-day kindergarten in the social, emotional, and cognitive development of the young child. Empirical research Noun 1. empirical research - an empirical search for knowledge inquiry, research, enquiry - a search for knowledge; "their pottery deserves more research than it has received" on the effects of full-day kindergartens show that, in spite of the rhetoric of critics, there are no detrimental effects on children and, furthermore, children in full-day programs show significantly stronger academic gains than those who attend half-day programs. Many of us continue to encourage policymakers to support full-day kindergarten as part of their efforts to improve academic settings and close achievement gaps. In this report, the Education Commission of the States (ECS See eComStation. ) provides a state-by-state overview of full-day kindergarten in the United States. The study shows that most states' policies lack clarity on the definition of a full-day program, lack policies that provide universal access to full-day programs, lack adequate funding to implement the programs, and do little to address the quality of full-day programs. These findings confirm what many early childhood educators experience. By the time a child enters kindergarten, gaps already exist by race, income level, and ethnicity. The ultimate challenge for state policymakers, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the ECS study, is to address many of the issues highlighted in this report. A strong response from state policymakers could ensure full-day kindergartens as aboost to states' early learning initiatives and require school districts to provide full-day kindergartens for all children. This well-written report will be particularly useful for advocates for full-day kindergartens who wish to influence state and national legislators and other policymakers. Copies of the publication are available for $10.00 plus postage and handling from the Education Commission of the States Distribution Center, 700 Broadway, Suite 1200, Denver, CO 80203-3460. The report is also available online at the ECS Web site: www. ecs.org/clearinghouse/62/41/6241.pdf. |
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