Jumpstart program efficacy: The impact of early childhood education advancement initiatives on low-income preschool children’s literacy, agency, and social relations

Abstract

The Jumpstart program is a national early childhood education program focusing on supporting children’s language skills, literacy, and social-emotional development. The present study examined the impact of Jumpstart programming on the school readiness of low-income preschool children. One hundred and twenty-one preschool children (69 boys, 52 girls) between three and five years old participated in the study. Assessments of student language skills, literacy, and social-emotional development were conducted using the Jumpstart School Success Checklist. Analysis of pre- and post-program student outcomes found that children in Jumpstart improved significantly in their language skills, literacy, initiative, and social development, t(117) = 37.63, p < 0.001. Results support the efficacy of Jumpstart in promoting student academic and socioemotional growth, highlighting the importance of such early childhood initiatives and pointing towards the potential of similar educational programs—particularly in supporting children from underserved communities. Limitations and future directions for this study were discussed.