The Efficacy of Public Preschool Programs and the Relationship of Program Quality to Efficacy

Abstract

As part of more general efforts at school improvement, a number of states have instituted public preschool education programs for disadvantaged children. These new programs have been criticized from several perspectives and their potential effectiveness called into question. This paper presents the initial findings of a longitudinal study of new public preschool programs in South Carolina. Two separate research designs were used to maximize both internal and external validity. Classroom observation was used to measure program quality. The preschool program was found to increase children’s school readiness, if a minimum (and readily achievable) level of quality was maintained.