Title I Preschool Education: More Children Serviced, but Gauging Effect on SchoolReadiness Difficult

摘要

Concerns over childrens school readiness have placed an increasing emphasis onensuring that children have the necessary skills to succeed in school. In light of this and the current discussions regarding reauthorization of title I, you asked us to determine (1) the extent to which title I funds are used to support education and/or developmentally appropriate activities for preschool children, aged birth to 5 years, and (2) what is known about the effectiveness of title I-funded programs for preschool children in preparing them for school. To respond, we surveyed a stratified, nationally representative sample drawn from the approximately 16,000 school districts nationwide. We sent our survey questionnaire to school districts, which provided information on the schools within the districts as well; thus, our estimates are based on school and school district information.