Researchers explore the effectiveness of different preschool pathways for low-income children, specifically comparing Head Start and state pre-kindergarten (pre–k) programs. They assess the impact of funding two years of Head Start versus a combination of one year of Head Start followed by one year of pre–k. Analyzing data from an Oklahoma pre–k study, the team investigates the outcomes of children who experienced Head Start at age 3 transitioning to pre–k at age 4 against those who continued Head Start at age 4. Their findings reveal that children attending Head Start at age 3 and moving to pre-k at age 4 exhibit stronger pre-reading skills than those in Head Start at age 4. Notably, the effect of pre–k on early reading skills exceeds that of Head Start by a significant margin. The difference in program design and curriculum experiences at age 4 seems to influence these variations in skill development. The study emphasizes the importance of exploring these preschool pathways further across diverse program settings to comprehend their distinct impacts and the underlying reasons for their effectiveness.

The Head Start program, established in 1965, aims to enhance the school readiness of low-income children by providing comprehensive services, including education, health, and family support. This approach targets children’s cognitive and socio-emotional development, health, and family well-being. Researchers using the Head Start Impact Study (HSIS) examined if the program effectively supports at-risk children. By creating risk factors based on the program model, they aimed to determine if Head Start benefits children with higher risk profiles. Results showed a mix of outcomes: while there was no significant improvement in high-risk children’s pre-academic skills, teacher-reported behavior problems were slightly reduced, contrasting with maternal-reported behavior problems, which increased. This suggests Head Start might better address behavioral aspects than pre-academic readiness. The study highlighted the need for better tailoring services to high-risk children, especially in cognitive development, indicating the importance of ongoing research to enhance Head Start's responsiveness to individual needs for better outcomes in school readiness.

New research investigates early absenteeism in elementary school, particularly in kindergarten, exploring factors contributing to chronic absence. While existing studies focus on individual and family-level drivers like disengagement and family structure, limited attention has been given to how early childhood programs might impact absenteeism. Analyzing a national dataset, a study reveals that attending center-based care before kindergarten associates with lower chronic absenteeism in kindergarten. However, this link isn't observed when attending such care during the kindergarten year, suggesting that pre-kindergarten experiences shape school attendance more than concurrent reinforcement during kindergarten. Chronic absenteeism affects California's educational and social systems, leading to significant costs and limiting children's potential. The findings emphasize the influential role of early childhood programs in reducing absenteeism, urging a shift from identifying contextual factors to implementing early interventions to counteract this detrimental behavior. This study's insights offer valuable data to inform truancy reduction initiatives and discussions on preventive measures.

The change in California's kindergarten entry age, moving the cutoff date from December 2 to September 1, brought about transitional kindergarten for affected children born in the transitional period. This impacted both those who delayed entry and those who didn't. Older entrants might show better readiness and learning skills compared to younger peers, a reason why parents often choose to delay their child's entry ("redshirting"). However, the benefits of this additional year might vary based on available activities. The shift also influences non-delayed children due to grade age averages affecting peer dynamics and learning. In a study assessing this change's impact on crime, incarceration rates dropped by 10-13% among those directly and indirectly affected by the entry age policy. While both groups benefitted, the reduction in crime was smaller for those delaying entry, hinting at potential harms from late entry, perhaps due to less learning during the "redshirt" year or lower educational attainment. This emphasizes early education's long-term benefits, supporting transitional kindergarten's role. Yet, caution is needed in generalizing these findings, considering the availability of alternative pre-kindergarten programs today, absent in earlier decades, possibly lessening the negative impacts of delayed entry.

The process of applying and enrolling in college is increasingly expensive and time-consuming, yet students often make less-than-ideal decisions during this crucial phase. Recent studies have shown that students tend to apply to too few colleges, and high-achieving, low-income students often miss out on better-suited options. A new research paper, "Screening Mechanisms and Student Responses in the College Market," explores how seemingly minor factors—such as college application essays and fees—impact student behavior. Analyzing data from 885 four-year colleges between 2003 and 2011, a new study reveals that the requirement of application essays increased to around 57%, while approximately half of colleges raised their application fees by an average of 30% (around $10). The research shows that colleges introducing essays experienced a 6.5% decrease in applications, while a 10% fee increase correlated with a 1% reduction in applications. This highlights that even small changes significantly influence student decisions in the college application process, emphasizing the importance of these procedures for students, colleges, and policymakers.

Head Start, the primary federally-funded preschool program in the U.S., serving over 1 million children yearly, emphasizes not just child education but also parental engagement and growth. However, research traditionally prioritizes children’s outcomes over parents’. Leveraging the Head Start Impact Study (HSIS)—the comprehensive evaluation and reporting program initiated in 1998—a new study explores if children’s participation in Head Start affects parents' education and employment. HSIS found short-term benefits for kids, fading by third grade, stirring doubts about long-term effectiveness. Research analysis, considering the family as a unit, discovered that parents of 3-year-olds in Head Start showed greater educational advancements by kindergarten compared to the control group. This effect was particularly pronounced for parents with some college but no degree and African American parents. These findings highlight Head Start's potential to support parents' educational pursuits, offering quality childcare, support networks, and pathways to higher education. This underscores how early education programs like Head Start can bolster parental growth alongside children's development, potentially influencing other similar programs.

A new survey examines California elementary school officials' awareness of AB-2109, a law tightening personal belief exemptions for school immunizations. Findings revealed limited understanding among respondents, with low awareness and knowledge of the law's details. Only health workers showed better comprehension. Despite this, schools planned to communicate the requirements to parents. Yet, officials highlighted the need for more staff education, district guidance, and support materials. The survey emphasizes the necessity of further information dissemination about AB-2109 to all school staff involved in implementing immunization policies, from enrollment to parent interaction, to ensure effective compliance.

In a recent study of Head Start's impact on early childhood education, a meta-analysis reviewed 28 studies from 1965 to 2007. Head Start yielded a 0.27 effect size, indicating modest improvement in children's short-term cognitive outcomes, aligning with general early childhood education programs. Yet, its effects were smaller compared to more intensive programs like Perry Preschool, but within the range of wider ECE averages. Research design significantly influenced these outcomes, particularly the nature of the control group. Studies with an "active" control group, exposed to other forms of ECE, showed smaller effects than those with a "passive" group, receiving no alternative ECE. As ECE attendance rises, communities with multiple ECE options could produce smaller Head Start effects. This does not question Head Start's efficacy but highlights other effective ECE alternatives, skewing comparative evaluations. Skills closely tied to ECE curricula, like early reading and math, responded better to Head Start than broader cognitive skills, suggesting tempered expectations for effects on measures like vocabulary or IQ. Finally, the study emphasizes considering measurement quality when interpreting program evaluation outcomes.

A new study explores the impact of full-day kindergarten on English learner (EL) students in California, a group previously overlooked in research on extended kindergarten programs. While overall findings showed no significant difference in performance between EL full-day and half-day students in first or second grades, nuanced benefits surfaced within specific subgroups. EL students in full-day programs were 5.2% less likely to face retention in early grades, indicating potential help for at-risk students. Moreover, EL students with stronger English skills upon kindergarten entry exhibited advantages: they were more likely to progress to fluent-English proficiency by second grade, demonstrated higher reading skills, and slightly improved English fluency. Interestingly, students from lower-performing schools experienced the most substantial benefits from full-day kindergarten. Despite no broad performance differences, targeted advantages for specific EL subgroups emphasize the nuanced impact of extended kindergarten hours. Schools considering adopting full-day programs should weigh these specific benefits against implementation costs for individual districts.

For nearly three decades, PACE has facilitated discussions on California's education policies by integrating academic research into key policy challenges. Traditionally, this involved publishing policy briefs, organizing seminars, and producing the annual 'Conditions of Education in California' report, offering comprehensive data and analysis on the state's education system. The launch of "Conditions of Education in California" as a blog marks a shift to engage a wider audience and enable ongoing updates. This platform, authored by PACE-affiliated researchers across California, aims to share new data, compelling research findings, and insights on current legislation and policies. The objective remains fostering informed discussions on education policy challenges in California, now extending the conversation to policymakers, educators, and citizens. This inclusive dialogue is crucial to drive the necessary policy understanding and momentum for improving the state's education system.