NCEDL Multi-State Pre-K Study: 2,982 Children Across 11 U.S. States

A combined dataset from two major studies by the National Center for Early Development and Learning (NCEDL) provides detailed information on state-funded pre-kindergarten programs. The data covers 721 classrooms and 2,982 pre-kindergarten children across 11 U.S. states, collected during the 2001-2002 and 2003-2004 school years. The research, led by Diane Early at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, aimed to understand how variations in pre-k programs relate to child outcomes.

Use Cases

• Analyzing the relationship between teacher qualifications and child outcomes based on detailed teacher information.
• Comparing program effectiveness across different state funding models and service delivery modes.
• Studying the impact of program settings (public school vs. community) and intensity (full-day vs. part-day) on kindergarten readiness.
• Investigating demographic and classroom characteristic variations across 11 states to inform policy decisions.

Strengths

• Data from 721 classrooms provides a multi-site perspective.
• Information on 2,982 children allows for individual-level analysis.
• Sampling strategy aimed to maximize diversity in geography, program settings, and teacher requirements.
• Combines two complementary studies covering 11 states with different program characteristics.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.
• Data may reflect geographic and temporal bias, focusing on specific states and school years (2001-2004).

Provenance

Source

National Center for Early Development and Learning (NCEDL), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Collection Method

Stratified random sampling of state-funded pre-kindergarten sites; data collected via classroom observation and teacher-assisted child recruitment.

Time Range

2001-2002 and 2003-2004 school years.

Geography

11 U.S. states: California, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin.