Table 2. Selected effect sizes on school competence for studies of extended early childhood programs.
| Program and studies | Program sample and experiences/ Control sample and experiences |
Ages of Effects |
Effects |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| reading 1 |
math1 | Retention | Special edu | HS Com. |
|||
| Carolina Abecedarian Project | |||||||
|
Campbell & Ramey, 1995 Ramey, Campbell, et al., 2000; Campbell et al., 2002 (up to age 21) |
25 in daycare (0 to age 5) + kind- grade 2 24 in daycare from birth to age 5 only |
8 15 212 |
.27 .20 .23 |
.33 .00 −.20 |
-- .02 |
-- .24 |
.03 |
|
| |||||||
| Head Start/Follow Through | |||||||
|
Abelson, Zigler, & DeBlasi, 1974/ Seitz et al., 1983 (up to age 14) |
35 in Bank Street FT in K-3; 91% had HS |
8-9 | .00 | .51 | -- | -- | |
| 26 other-school controls; 28% had HS |
12-15 | .00 | .13 >boys |
-- | -- | ||
|
Becker & Gersten, 1982 (up to age 12) |
1,097 in Direct Inst. FT in 1-3 907 in non-FT classrooms in same schools |
8-9 12-15 |
>.50 .19 |
>.50 .26 |
-- -- |
-- -- |
|
|
Schweinhart & Wallgren, 1993 (up to age 9) |
281 in High/Scope FT in K-3 528 same-school controls; 1% had HS |
8-9 | .39 | .29 | -- | -- | |
|
| |||||||
| Chicago Child-Parent Centers | |||||||
| Fuerst & Fuerst, 1993 (up to age 14) | 419 with 4 or more years CPC 503 in feeder-school controls; no CPC |
12-15 | .33 | .20 | -- | -- | -- |
| Reynolds, 1994 (up to age 11) | 462 in CPC Pre-K and K plus grades 1-3 207 in CPC Pre-K and K only |
8-9 | .55 | .48 | −.13 | −.03 | -- |
|
Reynolds & Temple, 1998 (up to age 13) |
426 in CPC Pre-K and K plus grades 1-3 133 in CPC Pre-K and K only |
8-9 12-13 |
.48 .43 |
.35 .28 |
-- −.15 |
-- −.06 |
-- |
| Reynolds et al., 2001 (up to age 21) | 599 in CPC Pre-K and K plus grades 1-3 242 in CPC Pre-K and K only |
15-18 21 |
−.32 | −.29 |
.063 |
||
| Reynolds et al., 2007 (up to age 24) | 522 in CPC Pre-K and K plus grades 1-3 510 in CPC Pre-K and K only 336 had no participation |
23 | .243 | ||||
|
| |||||||
| Head Start/Public School Early Childhood Transition Demonstration |
|||||||
| Ramey, Ramey et al., (2000) | 30 sites across the country 3,411 had Head Start and Transition 3,137 had Head Start only |
9 | −.10 | −.07 | .18 any −.13 mental retardation −.12 |
||
| Redden et al., (2001) | 3,221 had Head Start and Transition 2,941 had Head Start only |
emotional disturbance |
|||||
Note.
Values for reading and math achievement are proportions of standard deviations. Values for grade retention, special education, and high school completion (Hs com) were derived from probit transformation of proportions. In Abelson et al. study, the effect sizes for the cross-sectional sample were .34 and .51, respectively for third-grade reading and math achievement. In Schweinhart & Wallgren, average effect across grades 1 to 3 was .63.
Effect sizes of the Abecedarian Project were obtained for extended intervention compared to preschool only. The effect sizes for extended intervention compared to no intervention at age 21 were .79 for reading and .42 for math. Effect size for high school completion was preschool compared to no preschool.
Effect sizes of the Chicago Child-Parent Centers from Reynolds et al., (2002) were obtained for extended intervention compared to less extended intervention. Participants who had no participation were excluded. Effect sizes from Reynolds et al., (2007) were obtained through comparing extended intervention (4-6 year) with less than 4 years (0-3 years).
Adapted from Reynolds (2003). The added value of continuing early intervention into the primary grades. In A. J. Reynolds, M. C. Wang, & H. J. Walberg (Eds.), Early childhood programs for a new century. Washington, DC: Child Welfare League of America Press. (pp.173-174).