Volume 2 - Issue 1 - DBU Journal of K-12 Educational Research - Page 24

22 38% were not enrolled in any type of publicly funded preschool program (U.S Department of Education, 2015a). Hispanic children are the largest and fastest growing ethnic group in the entire United States making up one quarter of the total population of 3- and 4-year-olds. While Latinos make up the largest ethnic group in the country, they have the lowest partici- pation rate in early childhood programs. Only 40% of Hispanic 4-year-olds currently participate in publicly funded preschool programs while 50% of African Americans and 53% of White students participate in programs designed to prepare a student for kindergarten (US Department of Education, 2015a). Low-income students were less likely to be enrolled in an early childhood program than their more affluent peers, and African American children from low-income homes are more likely to attend low quality early childhood education programs (U.S Department of Education, 2015a). State and local Pre-K programs are typically run through the local school districts. The teachers working in these programs are fully certified, receiving a degree in education or related field from a four-year university, and most have received advanced training to work with early childhood students. The professional development activities provided to these educators allow them to meet the individual and varied needs of their students (Barnett, 2008). Programs that are the most successful at producing academic and social gains for young students do appear to share some of the same qualities. The number of students in a classroom has been determined to be a major factor in determining the effec - tiveness of a Pre-K program. Pre-K students have been found to experience the greatest academic growth when there is a student teacher ratio of 1 to 10, yet it is almost impossible for many districts to staff a Pre-K classroom with one certified teacher and ten students (Sandborn et al., 2014). Full-day Pre-K programs result in the greatest benefits for student growth, but the majority of state and local programs, especially in Texas, are currently only funded to be half-day programs. The number of days per week, the weeks per year, and the age when the child starts the program are all factors in future academic success (Barnett, 2011). Students who participate in a high-quality Pre-K program that is designed to last at least two years will experience greater academic growth than students who attend a one-year program (Barnett, 2011). The curriculum in state and locally run Pre-K centers should be developmentally appropriate and globally designed, focusing on language acquisition, emerging math skills, social emotion - al skills, and knowledge about science, arts, and social studies (Yoshikawa et al., 2013). High quality Pre-K programs should also incorporate hands-on fun and excitement into the curriculum. Students at this age learn best through exploration (Melheim, 2014). Children age three to five learn best when they are actively engaged with their learning environment. According to the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) (2006), students who participate in early childhood programs perform better academically than those who do not. The goal of the current study was to add to the body of research in the area of early childhood education by comparing student performance on the Kindergarten ISIP ER and ISIP Es - pañol. This was accomplished by comparing students who attend - ed Pre-K at either one of the District’s Pre-K centers or satellite campuses with those who were eligible to receive early childhood services, but for some reason chose not to attend. Research Design In education today, there is a growing number of at-risk students. Based on state and federal guidelines, economically disadvan- taged and second language learners are the primary benefactors of early childhood education. Providing early childhood services, like state run Pre-K programs, is a key factor in students expe - riencing future academic success (Barnett et al., 2012). In the school district of the current study, there were two Pre-K centers with their entire program dedicated to early childhood educa- tion. The District also had 14 Pre-K satellite classes located on traditional elementary campuses. This study was designed to look at possible benefits students who attend a state-run Pre-K center in a local school district received upon the completion of the Pre-K program. This study also looked at data from students who attended a high quality early childhood Pre-K program and strove to make comparisons with those who did not. This study examined data based on Kindergarten Istation Indicator of Progress Early Reader (ISIP ER) and Istation Indi - cator of Progress Español (ISIP Español) scores. The researcher compared the results of the Kindergarten ISIP ER and ISIP Español scores between students in Kindergarten who attended a Pre-K program with those who were eligible to attend Pre-K but did not. This study examined whether or not students who attended a Pre-K center outperformed students who were eligible James Alton Howard, Ed.D.