Participation levels and trends in a targeted voluntary prekindergarten program

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Research shows that high-quality prekindergarten (PreK) programs prepare children for later success in school. Tennessee adopted a voluntary PreK program in 2005/06 that is targeted at four-year-olds who are eligible for free- or reduced-price lunch. To help meet coverage goals, collaborating partners were allowed to offer seats through the PreK program. Such partners, including Head Start and other early education and early care providers, receive some state PreK funding when they collaborate with their local education agency to provide an approved PreK program at a location other than a public school.

This study reviews participation levels and trends during the first four years of the program, including those for collaborative partner classrooms and for student and district subgroups. It also discusses the geographic distribution of program sites.

Findings of the report include:

• From 2005/06 to 2008/09, the number of PreK program participants increased from 6,943 to 18,746, the percentage of eligible children participating increased from 18 percent to 42 percent, and the percentage of local education agencies participating increased from 83 percent to nearly 99 percent.
• The number of participants at collaborative partner classrooms increased from 1,428 in 2005/06 to 3,621 in 2008/09, accounting for 21 percent of participants in 2005/06 and 19 percent in 2008/09. Collaborative partner classrooms consistently accounted for approximately 21 percent of total PreK program classrooms.
• PreK program participation levels and rates increased for all subgroups examined but exhibited varying growth rates across student and district subgroups.
• The majority of public PreK program sites were located in the four major urban areas of Tennessee. Collaborative partner sites were more evenly distributed across rural and nonrural areas.

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