Graduation Date
12-2013
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department or Program
Education
Department or Program Chair
Lisa Ray, PhD
First Reader
Debra Polack, MA
Abstract
This study examines half- and full-day kindergarten programs and their effectiveness in regard to a child’s academic progress. Some literature finds a positive relationship between the success of a child and the minutes spent in the classroom. However, other literature debates as to how long the progress is sustained. The purpose of this study is to compare the scores of kindergarten students in both half-day and full-day programs and analyze the data to determine if one program is more successful than the other. Three assessments in language arts were given to each student, assessing uppercase, lowercase, and letter sounds. The kindergarten scores from both classes, full-day and half-day, were compared to observe if student achievement was effected by spending more academic minutes in the classroom. The data did not reveal an overall statistical significance. However, out of the four ANCOVA tests that were completed, one did show statistical significance when the scores were disaggregated by the individual students’ scores. The lowercase letter assessment did discover a statistical difference. But based on the three other tests, more academic minutes in the classroom doesn't always mean more academic success for students.