TNVPKEffectivenessEvaluation:Whathasbeenfoundsofar?
SummaryandContext
August,2013
Summary:TheVanderbiltstudyofTennesseeVoluntaryPre‐K(TN‐VPK)involvesmorethan3000
children,over1000ofwhomwereassessedindividuallyfromthebeginningandendofpre‐kthrough
kindergartenandfirstgrade,withmorefollow‐upunderway.Themajorfindingstodateareasfollows:
 TN‐VPKchildrenmadesignificantlygreatergainsonmeasuresofliteracy,language,andmathover
thepre‐kyear,andwereratedbytheirteachersasbetterpreparedforkindergartenandhaving
bettersocialskillsandwork‐relatedskillsthansimilarchildrenwhodidnotattendTN‐VPK.
 Bytheendofthekindergartenandfirstgradeyears,theacademicachievementdifferencesbetween
childrenwhoattendedTN‐VPKandthosewhodidnothaddiminishedandwerenolonger
statisticallysignificant.Similarly,ratingsofacademicpreparednessandclassroombehaviorby
thefirstgradeteachersshowednodifferencesbetweenTN‐VPKparticipantsandnonparticipants.
 SignificantTN‐VPKeffectswerefoundonsomeimportant“non‐cognitive”aspectsofperformanceat
theendofthekindergartenandfirstgradeyears:fewerTN‐VPKparticipantswereretainedin
kindergartenthannonparticipantsandtheirschoolattendanceinfirstgradewassomewhatbetter.
Somecontextonthefindingstodate:
TheeffectsfoundforTN‐VPKaresimilartothosefoundinotherstudies
Studiesofpreschoolprogramshavetypicallyfoundgainsincognitiveskillsimmediatelyfollowingthe
programthatthendiminishedinlateryears.Butthosesamestudieshavealsooftenfoundlong‐term
impactsonotherindicatorsofperformancesuchasgraderetention,attendance,disciplinaryactions,
specialeducationreferrals,andgraduationrates.ThoughitistooearlytodetermineifTN‐VPKwillhave
suchlong‐termeffects,differencesfavoringTN‐VPKparticipantshavealreadybeenfoundongrade
retentionattheendofkindergartenandattendanceattheendoffirstgrade.Thisstudywillcontinueto
followthesechildrentoassessthefullrangeofoutcomesastheyprogressthroughschool.
DifferentexpectationsforTN‐VPK
ThereisnoapparentconsensusaboutwhatTN‐VPKisexpectedtoaccomplish.Iftheexpectationisthat
theeconomicallydisadvantagedchildrenwhoattendTN‐VPKwillenterkindergartenbetterprepared,
thisresearchshowsthatTN‐VPKfulfillsthatexpectation.TN‐VPKchildrengainedmoreonearly
achievementmeasuresduringthepre‐kyearthanchildrenwhodidnotattendandwereratedasbetter
preparedbytheirkindergartenteachers.IftheexpectationisthatoneyearofTN‐VPKwillmakethese
childrenperformbetterthroughouttheirschoolcareers,itistooearlytotellhoweffectivetheprogram
is.Thoughtheearlyachievementmeasuresshowdiminishedeffects,wedonotyetknowhowthese
childrenwillperformonthestateachievementtestsinthirdgradeorthelong‐termeffectsonother
aspectsofschoolperformance,earlyindicationsofwhichhavealreadyappeared.
GuidanceforimprovingthequalityoftheTN‐VPKprogram
Children’sachievementgainsdependonthequalityoftheTN‐VPKprogram.Inthisstudy,observations
andinterviewsareunderwayfor160representativeTN‐VPKclassroomsacrossthestate.Thedataso
farrevealgreatvariationinteacherexperience,timemanagement,classroomenvironment,and
instructionalinteractionswithstudents.Whenthesedataarecomplete,theywillhelpidentifythe
characteristicsofmoreeffectiveclassroomsandprovideguidanceforprogramimprovement.
Continuitybetweenpre‐k,kindergarten,andbeyond
KindergartenandlaterclassroomsthatincludeTN‐VPKchildrenalsohavedisadvantagedchildrenwho
havenotattendedTN‐VPK.Thisresearchhasnotexaminedtheseclassroomssowedonotknowhow
teachershandlethisdiversity—inparticular,whethertheyattempttobuildonthegainstheTN‐VPK
childrenhavemadeorrepeatmuchoftheinstructionthosechildrenhavealreadyreceived.
Reportsontheendofpre‐k,andendofkindergartenandfirstgradeoutcomescanbefoundat:
http://peabody.vanderbilt.edu/research/pri/projects/by_content_area/tennessee_state_pre‐k_evaluation/