Full-Day Pre-K Programs

Key Insights

Full-day pre-kindergarten (pre-K) programs provide important services for economically disadvantaged students and their families. At profiled districts, 90-100 percent of children enrolled in district-operated, full-day pre-K programs qualify for free, half-day pre-K programs under state income qualifications or federal Title I designations. The additional hours of full-day programs allow teachers to provide enrichment (e.g., music and art), services (e.g., meals), and supplemental instruction (e.g., SEL and literacy) to students. Research shows that at-risk students benefit from these interventions.

Further, contacts and research suggest that full-day pre-K programs provide a valuable childcare service for economically disadvantaged families. This service may explain the research documented impacts of high-quality early childhood education on children’s lives, which include lower crime rates, higher degrees of educational attainment, and better health outcomes.