The long term educational effects of half-day vs full-day kindergarten

Abstract

This study examined the effects of full-day and half-day kindergarten on children's second grade academic outcomes. The subjects for the study were 974 second grade children from a large Midwestern school district. Of these second-graders, 730 of them had been in full-day kindergarten and 244 were in half-day kindergarten. The following measures were compared: (a) children's second grade reading and math scores from the Iowa Test of Basic Skills; (b) whether or not they had been retained in grade during the first three years of school; (c) whether or not they had been referred for special education services during the first three years of school; and (d) kindergarten attendance records. The results indicated that children who were in a full-day kindergarten program scored significantly higher on both math and reading on a standardized achievement test. In addition, there were fewer children from the full-day cohort who had been retained in grade. There were no differences in the number of special education referrals between the two groups. Finally, children who attended full-day kindergarten were absent less during the school year than the half day kindergarten group. The results are discussed in terms of both social and academic perspectives. © 2000 OPA (Overseas Publishers Association).