Full-Time Preschool Programs Better Than Part-Time Ones

Recent findings published in JAMA show that full-day preschool programs are more effective than part-day ones. When it comes to preparing for school readiness, researchers have found that children who went to preschool were significantly more likely to attend school than those who attended part-day preschool.

For the study, researchers examined children between the ages of three and four. They looked at data from a group of predominantly low-income, ethnic minority children enrolled in the Child-Parent Centers for the full day or part day in the 2012-2013 school year in II schools in Chicago.

Findings revealed that full-day preschool programs were significantly better when it came to preparing for school readiness when compared to part-day programs.

"Full-day preschool appears to be a promising strategy for school readiness. The size and breadth of associations go beyond previous studies. The positive association of full-day preschool also suggests that increasing access to early childhood programs should consider the optimal dosage of services," researchers said, in a news release. "In addition to increased educational enrichment, full-day preschool benefits parents by providing children with a continually enriched environment throughout the day, thereby freeing parental time to pursue career and educational opportunities. By offering another service option, full-day preschool also can increase access for families who may not otherwise enroll."