The effectiveness and impact of a kindergarten readiness program in closing the early childhood transitionary achievement gap, 2020

Item — Call Number: MU Thesis Jac

Identifier: b7930249

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

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The collection consists of dissertations written by students enrolled in the Monmouth University graduate Educational Leadership program. The holdings are primarily bound print documents that were submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for the Doctor of Education degree.

During the fall 2022 semester (in instances where the requisite waivers were received from consenting student authors), the Monmouth University Library, together with the University's Graduate School and School of Education, began providing open access to select full-text digital versions of current theses and dissertations through links to the ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global website in the Library's Online Public Access Catalog. Links to these open access digital publications can also be found in the "External Documents" section under any conforming titles that are listed among the holdings itemized in the collection inventory for this finding aid.

Dates

Creation: 2020

Creator

Schulze, Lauren (1990- ) (Author, Person)
Carley-Rizzuto, Kerry (Thesis advisor, Person)
Henning, John E. (Thesis advisor, Person)
Salvatore, Michael H. (1975- ) (Thesis advisor, Person)

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research use. Access is by appointment only.

Research appointments are scheduled by the Monmouth University Library Archives Collections Manager (732-923-4526). A minimum of three days advance notice is required to arrange a research appointment for access to the collection.

Access to the collection is confined to the Monmouth University Library and is subject to patron policies approved by the Monmouth University Library.

Patrons must sign a completed Researcher Registration Form and provide appropriate identification to obtain access to the collection. Copies of these documents will be kept on file at the Monmouth University Library.

Full Extent

1 Items (print book) : 123 pages ; 8.5 x 11.0 inches (28 cm).

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Core academic skills acquired in preschool and applied in kindergarten are a strong predictor of future achievement. However, many children transition from preschool to kindergarten with a already-identified achievement gap that is magnified by additional factors such as learning environment and student expectations. Schools that advocate for transitionary readiness should folow systemic pillars to foster student success. These key characteristics provide necessary supports for children in the move from one learning experience or grade level to another, support professional development for instructional staff, and implement intsructional approaches that can be tailored to fit student needs (Shore, 1998). The current study examined the impact of a formalized kindergarten readiness program, the Kindergarten Readiness Initiative (KRI). The first study goal was designed to analyze the effectiveness of the three-tiered KRI intervention using student performance data and teacher feedback. The second goal sought to build an understanding of how to increase student academic achievement through preventative instructional measures that can aid in closing a school entry transition gap. The third study goal emphasized increased articulation between preschool staff, kindergarten staff, and administration.

The research and data collected in this study are intended to support a cooperative learning model. Intended outcomes of this study included providing insight to identify a developmentally-structured approach of instructional techniques and decreasing the misalignment between preschool and kindergarten environments in the participating school district. The findings of this study could also influence decisions regarding the expected practices in preschool classrooms and the ways teachers can intentionally plan instruction for students in their transitionary year before kindergarten.

Partial Contents

Dedication -- Acknowledgements -- List of tables -- 1. Introduction to the study -- 2. Reveiw of literature -- 3. Methodology -- 4. Results -- 5. Discussion -- References -- Appendices.