Formal early childhood experience reduces the likelihood of being identified as significantly below benchmark, most pronounced among English learner students and Black English learner students¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 2 studies (3 entries) · 2 associational r2 · q2
Currency · newest study 2024 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? More kindergarten students without EC experience were identified as significantly below benchmark within any time period and multiple times than students with any EC experience. → Mariann Lemke 2024 q2 i? For grades K–3, students with formal EC experience were less often significantly below benchmark than students with informal EC experience, with effects most pronounced among English learner and Black English learner students. → Mariann Lemke 2024 (2)

q2 i? Students who attended formal EC programs were less likely to be identified as significantly below benchmark multiple times, with effects most pronounced for English learner students and for Black English learner students in particular. → Lemke 2024

Evidence¶

Mariann Lemke 2024¶

Mariann Lemke, Dan Murphy, Aaron Soo Ping Chow, and Angela Acuña. (2024). Early Literacy Performance in Massachusetts: Results of Ongoing Analysis of Literacy Screening Assessments. WestEd. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED663754

q2 · i? · associational · r2

2022/23 analysis comparing kindergarten risk identification at BOY, MOY, and EOY by type of early childhood program experience, using EC experience indicators defined in the report.

"more kindergarten students without EC experience were identified as significantly below benchmark within any time period and multiple times during the school year than were students with any EC experience."

Mariann Lemke 2024 (2)¶

Mariann Lemke, Dan Murphy, Aaron Soo Ping Chow, and Angela Acuña. (2024). Early Literacy Performance in Massachusetts: Results of Ongoing Analysis of Literacy Screening Assessments. WestEd. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED663754

q2 · i? · associational · r2

Analysis of K–3 students' risk identification by formal versus informal early childhood experience, including likelihood models controlling for race/ethnicity and program type reported in the appendices.

"For all students in grades K–3, students with formal EC experience were less often significantly below benchmark than were students with informal EC experience. Effects of formal EC experience were most pronounced among English learner students and among Black English learner students in particular."

Lemke 2024¶

Lemke, M., Murphy, D., Soo Ping Chow, A., & Acuña, A. (2024). Intersections: Student background and early literacy performance. WestEd. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED663858

q2 · i? · associational · r2

Figure 2 of the 2022/23 analysis (females shown; males show the same patterns) shows formal EC experience reduces risk across ethnoracial groups; low income students showed about a 1 or 2 percentage point decrease. Formal EC experience was a statistically significant predictor for all grades K–3.

"The likelihood of Black English learner students being identified as significantly at risk is reduced by about 20 percentage points when they have attended formal EC programs (24 percent, compared to 44 percent, for females; 21 percent, compared to 40 percent, for males)."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• The likelihood of being identified as significantly below benchmark in early literacy screening increases as historically underserved background characteristics intersect — related
• Children attending early childhood education programs are far more likely to be on track in emergent literacy and numeracy — related
• Low income, English learner, special education, Black, and Hispanic students were more likely to be classified significantly below benchmark at each time period and more than once — related
• Students from low income, English learner, special education, and several racial/ethnic groups are more likely to be repeatedly identified as significantly below benchmark, with low income students 2.5 times as likely — related
• A state funding report's research review, citing earlier studies, states that inclusive preschool special education benefits students with and without disabilities and that effective early education reduces later special education identification — related
• Risk identification varies by grade and student group: kindergarten and grade 3 students were less often at risk than grades 1–2, and economically disadvantaged, English learner, Hispanic, Black, and special education students were more often identified at risk — related
• Students from low income backgrounds, English learners, students receiving special education services, and Black and Hispanic students were more often identified as at significant risk — related
• Economically disadvantaged, English learner, special education, Black, and Hispanic students were more likely than peers to be ever below benchmark — related