The Impact of Georgia Pre-K Program on the Achievement Gap between At-Risk and Not-At-Risk Students for Kindergarten Readiness as Measured by Teacher Perception and Student Assessments
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Authors
Lamon , Candace Cooper
Issue Date
2005-05
Type
Dissertation
Language
en_US
Keywords
Pre-K
Alternative Title
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the Georgia
Pre K Program in bridging the achievement gap between at risk and not at risk
students. Data were collected from a kindergarten teacher perception survey and
student assessments. Analyses were done to determine if there is an
achievement gap between groups.
Kindergarten teachers perceptions about skill levels of entering students,
both at risk and not at risk, were measured in pre academic, language, small and
gross motor, and social and emotional skills. Paired t tests were run on the
survey data. Student achievement, measured by the Boehm 3 and the Georgia
Kindergarten Assessment Program Revised, was analyzed with a Mann Whitney
and an independent t test. Variables of kindergarten experience and degree
levels were run with an ANOVA.
Teachers were found to perceive both at risk and not at risk students
performing at similar levels in pre academic skills, with the exception of
identifying shapes and spatial skills. At risk students were perceived as
possessing higher skill levels for identifying colors, multitask sequences,
alphabet usage, and phonemic skills. Numeracy skills had no statistically
significant difference in means. Significant differences in means were found for
language, motor, and social and emotional skills, with the not at risk group
exhibiting higher skill levels. No statistically significant relationship existed
between years of teaching experience or degree level and perceptions of student
skill levels.
Description
Citation
Publisher
Valdosta State University
Educational change
Educational change
License
Copyright protected. Unauthorized reproduction or use beyond the exceptions granted by the Fair Use clause of U.S. Copyright law may violate federal law.