Date of Award

2017

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Committee Chair

Kathi Gibson

Abstract

Educational journals, researchers, and practitioners assert that prekindergarten yields positive academic and socialization results for those who attend (Neuman, 2007; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, 2010). This mixed-methods study was conducted to examine the impact of the prekindergarten program in County X Public School District on the kindergarten reading performance of Hispanic students. The Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) was the instrument used for measurement. This subgroup’s accountability results and school performance reflect a significant gap as compared to White students. Hispanic students, whose presence in North Carolina schools is increasing yearly, are considered at risk or in need of intense interventions. Prekindergarten is one intervention. Determining the impact of prekindergarten on literacy skills in kindergarten may provide educators and legislators the leverage needed to advocate for additional funding to support prekindergarten initiatives. This study examined the reading performance of Hispanic students in kindergarten by comparing the scores of students who attended prekindergarten in County X to the scores of students who did not attend prekindergarten. This causal-comparative study entailed repeated t tests. As part of this study, kindergarten teachers were interviewed, and their responses were coded and analyzed for categories and themes.

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Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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