Kindergarten
Since 1977, the percentage of kindergartners enrolled in full‐day (in contrast to half‐
day) programs has nearly tripled, increasing from 28 to 77 percent between 1977 and 2013.
Importance
Overall, children who spend time in full‐day kindergarten programs are more likely than children who spend time in half‐day kindergarten programs to devote time every day to reading,
mathematics, and social studies.1 Full‐day kindergarten allows teachers more time to promote formal and informal learning, reduces the number of transitions in a child’s day, and allows children to get used to a schedule similar to that which they will have in first grade.2 In the short‐term, children attending full‐day kindergarten programs tend to do better in school than do children attending half‐day kindergarten programs, and show stronger academic gains in kindergarten.3,4,5 Full‐day kindergarten programs may be especially beneficial for children from low‐income families, especially if class size remains small.6 However, a study using nationally representative data found little evidence that full‐day programs are particularly beneficial for poor as opposed to non‐poor children.7
Research is inconclusive on longer‐term impacts. A nationally representative study, using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey‐Kindergarten Cohort, found that academic gains of full‐day programs had largely disappeared by the end of first grade.8 However, another study found that children in full‐day kindergarten programs scored higher on standardized math and reading tests through the second grade.9 Additionally, some research finds that children in full‐
day programs have more behavior problems than do children in half‐day programs, with differences especially large when comparing half‐day programs that met in the afternoon with full‐day programs.10 A recent meta‐analysis found that kindergarteners in full‐day programs were more likely to have good attendance, self‐confidence, and the ability to work and play with others, but less likely to have a positive attitude towards school.11
Trends
Since 1977, the percentage of kindergartners enrolled in full‐day rather than half‐day programs has more than doubled, increasing from 28 percent of all kindergartners in 1977 to 77 percent of all kindergartners in 2013. Increases were especially steep between 1996 and 1998, and between 2002 and 2006. (Figure 1)
27.5
60.9
71.9 72.5 77.1
22.9
0 20 40 60 80 100
1976 1979 1982 1985 1988 1991 1994 1997 2000 2003 2006 2009 2012
Percent
Percentage of All Kindergartners* Enrolled in Full‐Day and Half‐Day Kindergarten, 1977‐2013
Full‐day Half‐day
*Data only includes those kindergartners ages four to six.
Source: Data for 1977‐1992: Wirt, J., Choy, S., Rooney, P., Provasnik, S., Sen, A., and Tobin, R. (2004). The Condition of Education 2004 (NCES 2004‐077). U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics.Washington, DC: U.S.
Government Printing Office. Data for 1994‐2013: Child Trends' original analyses of data from the Current Population Survey October Supplement.
Figure 1
Differences by Race and Hispanic Origin
12Asian and Pacific Islander kindergartners are less likely than other kindergartners to be enrolled in full‐day programs. In 2013, 67 percent of Asian or Pacific Islander kindergartners were in full‐
day programs, compared with76 percent of Hispanic, 78 percent of white, and 81 percent of black kindergartners. Seventy‐three percent of American Indian kindergartners were enrolled in full‐day programs, which was not significantly different from children of other races and
ethnicities. (Figure 2)
77.7 81.0
76.1
66.7
72.5
0 20 40 60 80 100
Non‐Hispanic white Non‐Hispanic black Hispanic Asian or Pacific Islander American Indian
Percent
Percentage of All Kindergartners* Enrolled in Full‐Day Programs, by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2013
Figure 2
*Data only includes those kindergartners ages four to six.
Source: Child Trends' original analyses of data from the Current Population Survey October Supplement.
Differences by Family Income
In 2013, kindergarteners in low‐income families and those in higher‐income families were equally likely to be in full‐day programs. (Appendix 1)
Differences by Type of School
In 2013, kindergarteners in public and private schools were equally likely to be in full‐day
76.7 81.6
85.4
57.7
0 20 40 60 80 100
Northeast Midwest South West
Percent
Percentage of All Kindergartners* Enrolled in Full‐Day Kindergarten Programs, by Region, 2013
*Data only includes those kindergartners ages four to six.
Source: Child Trends' original analyses of data from the Current Population Survey October Supplement.
Figure 3
State and Local Estimates
The Education Commission of the States maintains an on‐line database of information on states’
policies (statutory and finance) affecting kindergarten. See
http://www.ecs.org/html/educationIssues/EarlyLearning/KDB_intro.asp
International Estimates
None available.
National Goals
None.
Related Indicators
Preschool and Prekindergarten: www.childtrends.org/?indicators=preschool‐and‐
prekindergarten
Child Care: www.childtrends.org/?indicators=child‐care
School Readiness: www.childtrends.org/?indicators=early‐school‐readiness
Kindergartners' Social Interaction Skills (archived):
www.childtrends.org/?indicators=kindergartners‐social‐interaction‐skills
Public Schools with Pre‐K and Special Education Pre‐K Programs (archived):
www.childtrends.org/?indicators=public‐schools‐with‐pre‐k‐and‐special‐education‐pre‐
k‐programs
Data Source
Data for 1994‐2013: Child Trends' original analyses of data from the Current Population Survey, October Supplement.
Data for 1977‐1992: Wirt, J., Choy, S., Rooney, P., Provasnik, S., Sen, A., and Tobin, R.
(2004). The Condition of Education 2004 (NCES 2004‐077). U.S. Department of
Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. Available online at:
http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/2004/pdf/03_2004.pdf
Raw Data Source
Current Population Survey, October Supplement http://www.census.gov/cps/
Appendix 1 - Percentage of Kindergartners, Ages Four to Six, Enrolled in Full-day Kindergarten: Selected Years, 1977-2013
1977 1980 1983 1986 1989 1992 1994 1995 2000 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Total 27.5 30.2 32.3 39.7 39.8 43.7 48.2 51.2 60.2 69.9 71.9 71.4 71.9 73.9 72.8 77.0 76.1 77.1
Gender
Male ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 48.8 52.9 60.0 71.4 71.6 70.6 72.5 74.1 72.3 77.3 77.5 77.8
Female ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 47.7 49.6 60.3 68.4 72.2 72.3 71.3 73.6 73.2 76.6 74.7 76.4
Race/Hispanic origin
Non‐Hispanic white ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 44.6 47.6 54.9 66.6 69.5 68.4 70.3 71.2 71.5 75.2 75.1 77.7
Non‐Hispanic black ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 64.0 69.8 82.1 84.6 80.5 79.1 80.9 89.1 84.0 90.5 86.6 81.0
Hispanic ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 47.2 46.7 58.5 69.9 72.3 76.7 69.7 72.9 71.0 76.7 73.6 76.1
Asian or Pacific Islander ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 56.6 49.7 60.4 66.5 67.9 60.2 62.0 63.1 60.1 69.5 68.4 66.7
American Indian or Alaska
Native ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 75.9 60.3 68.0 76.0 49.7 86.8 86.3 67.5 62.0 74.0 85.1 72.5
Parental Education
Immigrant status Two native‐born parents ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 47.1 52.3 60.4 71.1 72.7 71.8 72.5 74.3 74.0 76.8 78.1 78.3
Native‐born with at least
one foreign‐born parent ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 58.5 46.7 59.2 65.9 69.5 68.9 71.5 73.0 68.7 77.9 69.2 73.4
Foreign‐born with at least
one foreign‐born parent ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 39.6 40.2 58.8 66.9 67.0 77.2 60.4 68.6 78.1 73.4 82.0 79.3
Household Income
Less than $15,000 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 53.2 61.5 72.4 76.1 77.0 79.5 78.1 80.1 78.5 80.7 78.9 77.7
$15,000‐$29,999 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 46.7 53.1 62.0 71.6 74.7 81.1 75.9 79.7 75.1 81.1 73.2 79.0
$30,000‐$49,999 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 44.9 44.2 54.4 70.2 74.6 67.3 71.7 74.5 67.0 75.0 77.7 75.7
$50,000‐$74,999 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 46.8 47.9 55.8 66.9 70.2 71.1 70.8 74.6 71.3 74.2 74.5 79.8
$75,000+ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 52.8 44.9 58.2 66.7 66.9 66.1 70.7 71.2 72.5 75.6 76.5 75.2
Region
Northeast ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 39.8 51.3 61.5 73.4 68.7 67.2 70.5 70.2 74.2 76.3 70.9 76.7
Midwest ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 31.0 36.7 51.1 63.4 66.8 66.9 72.5 71.3 74.0 78.1 80.4 81.6
South ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 71.1 72.5 81.9 84.7 86.1 84.2 81.5 86.9 80.4 85.6 83.3 85.4
Endnotes
1 Walston, J. T., and West, J. (2004). Full‐day and half‐day kindergarten in the United States: Findings from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class 1998‐99. U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES 2004–078). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. Available at: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2004/2004078.pdf
2 Kauerz, K. (2005). Full‐day kindergarten: A study of state policies in the United States. Denver, CO:
Education Commission of the States. Available at http://www.fcdus.org/PDFs/ECS_FDK.pdf
3 Finn, J. D. & Pannozzo, G. M. (2004). Classroom organization and student behavior in kindergarten.
Journal of Educational Research, 98(2), 79‐92.
4 Kauerz, K.. (2005). Op cit.
5 Guarino, C. M., Hamilton, L. S., Lockwood, J. R., & Rathbun, A. H. (2006). Teacher qualifications, instructional practices, and reading and mathematics gains of kindergartners (NCES 2006‐031). U.S.
Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Available at:
http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2006/2006031.pdf.
6 Zvoch, K., Reynolds, R. E., & Parker, R. P. (2008). Full‐day kindergarten and student literacy growth: Does a lengthened school day make a difference? Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 23(1), 94‐107.
7 Cannon, J. S., Jacknowitz, A., & Painter, G. (2006). Is full better than half? Examining the longitudinal effects of full‐day kindergarten attendance. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 25(2), 299‐321.
8 Ibid.
9 Gullo, D. F. (2000). The long term educational effects of half‐day vs full‐day kindergarten. Early Child Development and Care, 160(1), 17‐24.
10 Finn, J. D. & Pannozzo, G. M. (2004). Op cit.
11 Cooper, H., Batts, A., Patall, E. A., & Dent, A. L. (2010). Effects of full‐day kindergarten on academic achievement and social development. Review of Educational Research, 80(1), 54‐70.
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